


TechnoMagus: Level 5 Oracle

by Jiryu_Rasen



Series: TechnoMagus [2]
Category: Log Horizon
Genre: MMORPGs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-21
Updated: 2019-09-28
Packaged: 2019-10-01 13:40:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 51
Words: 425,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17245250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jiryu_Rasen/pseuds/Jiryu_Rasen
Summary: Purrcy returns finally a whole Adventurer to Akiba. There are many things to do in this level - starting with the wedding! Shiroe's world-level goals get a big boost after that "detail" is out of the way, and somehow Log Horizon gets to be the favorite guild for quest requests from the World AI and Game Bot, now that they know Shiroe will do *anything* (almost) to get the Adventurers home.





	1. Advance Warning

**Author's Note:**

> TechnoMage is a very long story...so I've got into construction mode to figure out how to make it a Series so that the different levels of the dungeon Shiroe and Log Horizon are made to face by the World AI and Game Bot of Theldesia are a bit easier to read in chunks. I apologize since it means that (if all works right) people who are caught up to me will have to find their place again.

The Adventurer City of Akiba was full of bustle and busyness. The carpenters of Marine Organization were busy carrying, hammering, and calling to each other, filling the market with more noise than usual. Individuals were scattered in any clear spot they could find, bent over wide boards, paintbrushes in hand. Slowly, words could be made out on their placards: _Takoyaki Tornado, Pepper's Puppets, The Crystal Jeweler, Happy Hats_. The rows of vendor stands were in place. One by one, the placards went up to hang over the horizontal surfaces that would soon hold merchandise. The painters weren't done, of course. The next thing to be worked on were the item listing and pricing placards to go up closer to eye level. This was the section the mid-level merchants would set up in.

Marielle, elvin Festival Coordinator Extraordinaire and Guildmistress, walked down the lane, her eyes shining and her happy smile beaming without reserve. It was the merchants themselves who were the painters, of course, and she greeted many of them as they called out and waved. She had already come from the main stage, thanking the constructions workers and giving them what encouraging words she could. Of course, most of them were encouraged just by her mere physical, blonde and very buxom presence - but no one told her that. "I'm so glad everyone is happily busy," she gushed to her best friend and Assistant of Everything for Crescent Moon League.

"Yes, yes. If they continue to stay focused, we should be able to start on time. I do hope we'll at least be ready for our guests from Minami." Henrietta readjusted her glasses. Her thin, severe figure was pronounced by her secretary's outfit with navy pencil skirt that ended at her knees. She checked her clipboard yet again.

"We're just about there," Marielle said, waving her hand to the street in front of them. She stopped and frowned, looking to their left. "Isn't that one of them there?"

Henrietta looked over, too, frowned, and checked her clipboard one more time. "Yes, that's supposed to be...." She tisked, slipped her pen behind her ear and under her straight black hair, and walked that direction. She leaned over the merchandise table to look into the back. Frowning, she walked around the table. Lifting a stilettoed foot, she placed the point of the heel on the forehead of the boy sleeping behind the table.

He snorted a breath in, shuddered, then suddenly opened his eyes. As he registered his precarious position, his eyes filled with fear and sweat broke out on his forehead. "And just what are you doing sleeping on the job, hmmm?" Henrietta asked with dangerous coolness. "You know the Pumpkin Festival is extremely important to Minami-Akiba relations as our first attempt to have peace with them."

"Ah...ah...yes, of course, Miss Henrietta!" His eyes were crossed, fixated on the stiletto point still resting between his eyes. "It's just that ...I was on second shift last night...and...." His voice was getting more and more panicked as the pressure on that point slowly increased. He finally scrambled out from underneath that shoe. "I'm on it, really. Really I am." Henrietta returned her foot to the ground, the cold look still on her face.

"I'm sure you'll have it done in no time!" Marielle said kindly. "We do appreciate your help with the sentry duties, too. That's just as important. As soon as you're done making this the best sign in town, I'll bet the sun will be just right for a warm nap. You didn't look very comfortable there."

"Do we really have to do this for them? I mean, they haven't been very nice until now." The boy appealed to Marielle.

Marielle looked sad. "Well, that's true, but then, their guild leaders weren't interested in letting anyone have any fun. We all get pretty grumpy when we can't relax and have fun, you know? This will be their first ever festival, and we want to show them how it's done right. After all, they're hosting the winter festival. We should help them understand so they know what to do when it's their turn."

"Then why aren't they here doing it with us?" he protested.

"Some of them are," Henrietta informed him. "But some of them are just like our crafters - making more until the last minute. These are the larger booths, too. Those with more product are coming with the train so they don't have to pay rent for a caravan and guards, throwing away what profit they might have made."

Marielle nodded exuberantly, making her blond curls bounce. "They'll be up all night setting up their wares as it is. If they had to make the signs in the dark, too, that would be bad. We can at least do this much to help out so everyone can have fun, right?" She turned her sunny smile on the boy.

He sighed. "I guess."

He was suddenly enveloped in a smothering bosom-filled hug. "That's the spirit!" she said, rubbing his head as his face went red. "We'll have everyone smiling in no time when they come. I can't wait to see the best sign in the row. We'll come see it on our way back through, okay?"

"Let him go, Marielle," Henrietta said mildly, pulling her pen from behind her ear and looking at her clipboard again. "Just in case it's been lost, here's the name again," she said to the gasping boy who'd finally been released from the suffocating hold. She wrote it carefully and handed it to him.

He rubbed the back of his head as they walked off. "I mean...who in their right mind names their shop _Doesn't Work_? Are they even going to have any products at all? Bad advertising, really." He shrugged his shoulders and got out the paint and paintbrush. He kept having to pause and hide the blush on his face. Only the boys actually in Crescent Moon were immune enough to Guildmistress Marielle's hugs to stop blushing after they'd finally been released. It took this boy two days, and he couldn't pass the booth without remembering and blushing again.

-:-:-:-:-

"This looks wonderful!" Marielle called out to her guildmates. They waved and called back their thanks to her.

"I'm glad our own know how important this row is," Henrietta said, calm pride shining in her eyes.

"Um-hm," agreed Marielle with a firm nod. "It's the little guys from Minami we need to encourage the most. They're the ones that will really be the brightest flowers in the city, lifting everyone else up as they go. ...Oh! Did you see that someone asked for stage time? When I told Serera, she lit up. Apparently there was a member of the Minami Adventurer army that was here who seemed interested in the puppet plays. She went and talked to the stage manager after that and they've been in secret talks since then." Marielle turned her large earnest eyes on Henrietta.

"Really?" Henrietta said with a raised eyebrow. "It's good she found something to occupy her. She's seemed down ever since Nyanta-san left to be Dark Shiroe's beast-half ambassador."

Marielle's face fell just a bit. "Yeah. I was worried about her. First learning that he has a fiancée and that she'd shown up to claim him, then to have him sent away...," Marielle looked off into the distance and bit her lip. "Well, it's a good thing if she's found something fun to occupy her."

"Of course it is," Henrietta said soothingly.

"Of course what is?" a steady male voice asked as an arm snaked around Marielle's shoulders.

Marielle turned her head for a kiss. "Serera's found a project for the Pumpkin Festival to throw herself into," she answered her own fiancée, Naotsugu. "We were just saying that was probably a good thing."

"And what's that?" he asked, kindly interested.

"Something about the puppet plays and someone she met from Nakalnad's legion when they were here. Whoever it is apparently signed up for stage time." Marielle snuggled down into Naotsugu's side, smiling at him.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "That sounds interesting. I hope we get to see something exciting then."

There was a sudden loud retort over the city, followed by multiple smaller retorts, then whistles. It sounded like someone had accidentally lit off the fireworks too soon. Their eyes went heavenward. Suddenly Marielle was being hugged to Naotsugu's broad chest, but it wasn't covered in soft cloth anymore. It was the hard steel of his plate armor. "Get under cover," he yelled at the children of Crescent Moon and Henrietta. There was a general scattering of people, and sudden transformations as other Guardians, Samurai, and Monks were suddenly armed and armored.

A particular whistle was getting louder. Naotsugu grunted and swung his sword, holding Marielle closely to him. She felt the impact of something solid meeting his sword. The lower edge of his shield bounced off the backs of her calves. "Marie, Honey," he said to her quietly, "drop, roll, and run. I've been targeted, it looks like. Head to my left. Shouryuu's set himself up. I'm going to try -" he grunted as he swung again in a cross over her head, "- to pull them away from this section."

Marielle nodded, gave him a quick peck on the cheek, then dropped and rolled to her right. She scrambled to her knees to crawl behind her guild's head military trainer, then peered around him to see what was going on. Naotsugu was running down the center of the road, a rather large number of colored lights chasing after him. He didn't stop until he was well past the last booth, then planted himself to knock away the first of the volley that streaked after him, then danced back and forth to dodge the next one. Then he just ran.

Shouryuu looked at Marielle quizzically. "What's Naotsugu under a Hacker attack for?"

She looked around at the sky. "It's not just him," she said. "That was too much at the beginning. Something big is going on...but I don't know what."

"What should we do, Guildmistress?" her guild was looking at her.

She bit her lip, looked around one more time, then nodded firmly. "Protect these booths. We can't let a terrorist attack ruin our relations with Minami." Her guild all got firm, determined looks on their faces. Immediately they began forming up into their practiced parties. She looked at Shouryuu. "We'll keep doing that until we get orders from West Wind Brigade."

He nodded, a serious look on his face, then sent the parties to locations at either end of the section of smaller booths and placed a few strategically along the length of it as well.

As she stood there, pulling up everyone's statuses to keep watch over their health, she felt something and turned to look. A little sparkle was sitting just over her left shoulder. She held very still, her eyes going wide, the breath catching in her throat. The sparkle moved closer until it just touched her cheek. She shivered in fear, then slowly put her hand to her cheek. A small warmth spread from the place the sparkle had touched her and it had disappeared. Somehow...the lingering warmth, and the gentle touch reminded her very much...of....

"What was it?!" Henrietta said, distressed and reaching out for her. "Are you okay?"

Marielle looked at Henrietta, and her eyes were bright and she could feel her lower lip tremble just a bit. "It...it felt like...a kiss."

Henrietta's eyes widened. "A _kiss_?!" Marielle nodded, her hand still on her cheek. "Let me see," Henrietta demanded. Marielle moved her hand to let Henrietta inspect that location. "I don't see anything...and it didn't hurt?" Marielle shook her head. Henrietta's face softened. "Do you think it's her?"

"I-it feels like it, actually," Marielle nodded.

Henrietta grabbed Marielle's hand. "Come on, we're going to Log Horizon. Don't let down your guard yet, Shouryuu," she ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am," Shouryuu nodded.

Marielle had to run to keep up with Henrietta's determined stride as they headed for their sister guild hall and Naotsugu's guildmaster, Shiroe of Log Horizon.

-:-:-:-:-

The VFA-115 Eagles sub-guild and fighting force of Log Horizon, secretly known as the Royal Guard, was scattered about the practice field of the fighting forces of D.D.D., one of the Akiba fighting guilds. The Acting Guildmistress and Head of the Training Division was issuing orders to both sides - her own forces and the Eagles. Rieze's sharp tongue and no-nonsense precision requirements were a joy to the Eagles to listen to and obey. They were used to it, after all, as they had come to Theldesia at the time of the cataclysm as a full U.S. Naval Air squadron. They were a bit behind everyone else in terms of training in this new world, having been captured and imprisoned in Minami until only two months ago. They were proud of their progress, though. They were already into the sixties as far as levels went. Their short-term goal was to break one-hundred, of course.

D.D.D. was training them up enough that they could go hit the higher level dungeons after the fall festival. The Eagles were already well known for tackling dungeons and zones well above their levels and walking out victorious. Their Commander had taught them right out of the prison that the world would do anything they wanted it to do if they taught it what that was. They'd become very good at doing that and their levels went up speedily because of it. Even in training sessions like this they could go up a full level sometimes.

They were just moving in on their target when there was a sudden explosion overhead, a retort they recognized as heavy artillery. Immediately they were frozen and scanning the sky. There was a second series of smaller retorts. Something large had released a lot of smaller things. Then there was the whistling of incoming. Every Hacker on the field, D.D.D. and Eagles, immediately threw up both a shield series and a tracer spell. The entire field was lit up with streaks of colored lights - blue, yellow, red. Swear words were muttered the entire field, too, but the eyes of the Eagles lit up and they were suddenly a blur on the field. In less than three minutes, the entire field was cleaned up of moving colored lights.

They looked around, confirming they were done, when one caught something out of the corner of his eye. "Sneakers!" he called out, then had to dodge and throw a curved Sorcerer spell as that Sneaker spell lept out at him to take him down. It took a few more tries before he neutralized it. As soon as it was gone, he took off for the center of the field. The rest of his team was in hiding in the trees. Since he was already exposed, he was now bait. He crouched low and slowly turned, scanning the field, then he quickly created one more spell - a modified tracer spell - and set it off for the field and the closer surrounding trees. He froze and swallowed. "Shit," he whispered.

He was completely surrounded by tawny golden colored lights, all pointing directly at him, about four deep. "Hounds." They were also often called "sniffers". They were set to find particular targets. Often once the target was found, it was imprisoned and taken off somewhere, or a follow on attack occurred. This was enough that it would be an impressive attack. He'd end up Cathedraled if that many hit him at once. He managed to lift his eyes enough to look farther out. There were other sniffers moving around the outer perimeter from him and heading towards the trees to either side of the field. The only conclusion was that there were so many because the target wasn't specifically _him_ , but more generally his sub-guild. The sniffers were ignoring D.D.D. ...except Rieze. One was stalking the Enchantress. She looked like she was trying to decide if attacking it was a good idea or not, now that she knew it was there.

The bait swallowed again. He tried hiding his guild and sub-guild tags. No effect. "Sub-guild level targets. Can't hide from them," he called on the party chat line, speaking very quietly. "High level." He swung his weapon at the closest one experimentally. It faded out, there was a one second delay, then it faded back in again. "Unkillable, source regenerative."

"I'm on it," he heard back, very faintly, but he noticed one of the hounds stiffen, then head farther in towards the woods.

"Okay, but maintain radio silence. Audio was noticed." He tried moving forward very slowly. When he was close enough to touch one of the golden lights, it moved forward slowly, then gently wrapped around his hand and coiled up and around his arm. He mostly stopped breathing, watching it move up his arm. He tried to brush it off, but it was like chopping at it - it faded where his hand passed through it, then returned. "It's not painful...yet," he said, trying to remember he was supposed to be letting everyone else know what was going on, while at the same time trying to not panic.

It reached his shoulder, then moved closer. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying really hard to not remember all the horror shows. "Not the ear, not the ear," he chanted under his breath. There was a warm brush against his cheek that moved down and around the back of his neck. He shivered and his bowels wanted to loosen. "Not the back of the neck, either," he begged. It kept going until it was wrapped around the back of his neck and on either shoulder, then settled down there. He cracked his eyes open just a little to see it was glowing a little brighter. It felt warmer too, then slowly it faded out and disappeared.

He opened his eyes in surprise as all the other sniffers suddenly weren't interested in him and started to wander off towards the woods to either side, hunting. He dropped to the ground in sudden relief, then glanced over at Rieze. She had the oddest look of surprise and one hand resting on the corresponding shoulder, the other touching her cheek on the opposite side. He nodded. "Damned if it wasn't a kiss and a hug," he reported back. He put his head in his hands and shook his head. "And we're damn lucky that's all it is. I only added that layer on a hunch. If it was anything else, I'd have been hamburger all over the field. I think we've just been schooled, ladies." He leaned back and looked at the sky again, then whispered, "I wonder when...?" He took a breath, then said, "See if there's a prize at the end for the one who can hold out longest." He knew it wasn't going to happen, though. They'd all been waiting for those hugs for almost half a year now. Most of the field was empty of hounds already.

-:-:-:-:-

At the first loud retort, Shiroe was up out of his chair. Akatsuki was at the door, her Tracker skill allowing her to move through space short distances. He was at the door by the time she was up the tree that grew through the center of their guild hall apartment building. He ran up the stairs to the third floor room that had access to the first balcony. By the time he reached it the multiple follow-on retorts had sounded dully through the walls of the building and Minori and Touya were on the guild chat, though set for just the building occupants, now that they had so many members that shouldn't be interrupted outside it.

"Explosion over the city. Multiple after that. Sounded like over the market and the training grounds and close by here as well." Touya's firm voice quickly sounded off.

"EEek!" Minori's voice came next.

"Minori!" Touya's concern for his twin came through.

"What is it?" Shiroe asked. They were up on the fifth level balcony. He craned his neck up to see, about to lean over the rail when he pulled up short and ducked out of the way of a shooting light. He instantly had his staff out and was casting a spell to counter the little sparks of light coming his way. He saw the flash of black that was Akatsuki as she landed on the railing above, then again as she was suddenly in front of him. He backed up so he wouldn't push her off the railing and to give her space to swing her short sword. Then he was able to focus on the status effect Hacker spells coming their way and take them out. He kept an eye on the ones headed higher, but they were being repelled by Minami's Kannagi shields, the physical ones by Touya's Samurai sword.

Suddenly there weren't any more lights in the air around them. "Did that attack go to any other guilds?" he asked the twins, who were high enough to tell.

"No," Touya said, "but I don't think we're done." There was a faint whistling that was getting louder. They all scanned the air around them, then looked down. Shiroe gauged distances, then readied his spell. Akatsuki was already headed for the ground. The other two, who had been in the market, were running full out for the guild hall, more colored lights following them.

"Isuzu, Rudy, keep going!" called Shiroe. "Pass by under me and I'll be close enough!" They shifted directions slightly. "Akatsuki!"

"I'm on it," she said briefly.

She ran across the path just behind the Sorcerer and the Bard, taking out all the physical attacks on her way. He cast at the same time, negating the status effects. "Rudy, the rest are yours," he said. The spells were slowed down and he looked up. Touya was holding onto his sister as she leaned down as far as she could get with her wand. Her shield spell almost couldn't reach, but at least was enough to slow the magic attacks down. "Now!"

Rudy and Isuzu both slid around to face the attacks. Rudy sent of a rain of magic arrows to intercept and Isuzu's Circular Carol repeated the attack so that a double rain met the magic attacks coming their way. When the explosions ended, Shiroe nodded. "Good job with the intent, guys. I could see every counter attack turn to hit the attacks. They were targeted to evade."

Rudy and Isuzu both slumped, breathing hard from the run. "What was that?" Rudy asked.

Shiroe's eye was caught by a glimmer that appeared near his face. He stepped back. It reminded him of Electrical Fuzz, a very low level electric shock light spell, and a good distraction spell he liked to use.

"What?" Minori and others said at the same time.

"Gah! It went through my shield!" Touya said, startled.

"I can't dodge it, Mi'lord," Akatsuki said, just a little bit of desperation in her voice.

Shiroe held very still. It moved closer to him until it touched his forehead. There was a warmth, then the glimmer disappeared. He held still a little longer, watching his status effect screen, then he smiled. "Well, I just received the status effect, 'Loved'. I think you're okay."

There were sighs and a thud from above. "Does she really have to swing both ways so dramatically all the time?" Touya grumbled.

"That was a bit flashy for her," Rudy agreed. "Especially since it started with letting the whole city know."

"True," Shiroe mused as Akatsuki returned to the railing of the balcony. He looked at her softly, then held out his hand to her. She stepped off the railing and walked over to him. Instead of taking his hand, she slipped in under it and wrapped an arm around his waist, looking up into his eyes. "What is it?" he asked her.

"Even me?" she asked, a bit of wonder in her voice.

Shiroe smiled. "Of course, even you. She is Log Horizon's Hahaue."

Akatsuki blushed lightly, looking very pleased.

He looked up, "I wonder how the others are doing?" He called up Naotsugu first.

"Ah, I'm fine," he was immediately answered. "Got the sparkle kiss and am headed back. I was with Marielle and ran to drag off the attack. She and Henrietta are headed your way already. I'm following them in. I hope to catch them first."

"That would be nice," Shiroe said wryly, and switched the chat to the other two that weren't present yet. He frowned. There wasn't an answer from Tetorō. He switched over to Michael.

"Ah...hang on...Tetorō's locked down...modification...my own spell...."

"Call me back when you're done," he immediately cut the line, then sighed.

"Shiroe?" Akatsuki looked up at him.

"She's put those two in severe lessons first," he answered.

Akatsuki sighed too. "Better them than me," she answered. Shiroe secretly agreed. They were _her_ apprentices after all. Likely she was going to make them work hard for their kisses. He hoped it wouldn't disrupt their classes too much - they were the teachers after all.

-:-:-:-:-

A distant explosion sounded over the city of Akiba. The students in the Hacker classes at the Akiba Adventurer Academy didn't hear it. They were all fighting for their lives. There had been a sudden outside attack against them all at once. Outside in that it wasn't from one of the teachers, or one of the other students. It was all interior in the code realm, where Hackers created their spells and cast them from. Flashing lights over the city made guildmasters contact guild Hackers the whole city over and none of them responded back. That made them all contact Shiroe. He didn't respond either. There was a sudden Round Table Council chat open and buzzing. Shiroe didn't respond. Neither did Marielle.

Nazuna reported to her guildmaster, Soujirou of West Wind Brigade and he reported to the Council. "Log Horizon's under attack." That got them all very quiet.

"If all the Hackers in town...and Log Horizon are under attack...we're left wide open," Ains of Honesty said, worriedly.

"Marielle and Henrietta were seen running for home," Soujirou reported. A few minutes later, "And Naotsugu's following them. He seems to have survived his own attack."

"What about D.D.D?" Isaac of Knights of the Black Sword asked. "Weren't they training the fighting unit of Log Horizon today?"

There was silence on the chat. "Rieze?" No answer was forthcoming, then a little gasp startled them.

"Here," her crisp voice sounded. "We're fine, though the Eagles are being hunted by Hacker hounds. It looks like training, actually."

" _Training_?!"

"Yes. Their decoy's still alive...so'm I."

" _You_ were attacked?"

"Yes, just me, though."

"What's a Hacker hound?" Akaneya of Radio Market asked, lost.

"It's a Hacker spell that hunts for something or someone, then tells the Hacker it's been found. The Hacker then can do anything he or she wants to that thing as long as the hound is still pointing to it."

"Soo...what'd the Hacker do once it found you?" Isaac asked.

There was a pause, then Rieze said stiffly, her cover for embarrassment, "Gave me a lick and a hug."

" _Pft!_ " There were attempts to hide the laughter.

Rieze growled. "It's not a laughing matter. We're lucky it was just training. What would the lot of you have done? Maybe you should also use this as an opportunity to figure that out. Do we even have the Hackers and Log Horizon back yet?" That sobered everyone up, then they got down to heavy discussion on just that very matter. It really wasn't a laughing matter. They'd gone to complete panic first, and a loss of direction. That wasn't good at all, and not really like them, either.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael finally freed one of his lower level, of the upper level class, students. His instruction was, "Get me physically over to Tetorō." He could feel his rather large self being picked up and hauled out of the class room and down the hall. As soon as he was physically next to Tetorō, he reached out a hand and grabbed hold of his younger guildmate. That physical touch was all he needed to be able to drag Tetorō out of his own body and into his where he could shield him, but leave behind a decoy.

The inner Tetorō collapsed next to Michael's inner self. "Thanks. That's worse than your last one."

"It isn't me," Michael said grimly. "Just like I don't believe this one's yours." He showed, through the mirror sites he was using to work on it, a thin wiggling thread that was trying to suck the HP out of one of his own personal decoys. He was feeding it the HP from the squirrel like creature outside the window of the school to keep it locked down, since it kept hunting until it found an HP source.

Tetorō inspected it closely. "Nasty." Michael grunted in agreement. "What else are you working on?"

"See to your own first," Michael said. "Every Hacker in town's locked down. You were taken out first. I barely managed to escape the same fate." He didn't bother to mention it was because he had taken to trading with his decoys randomly and had just vacated before it'd hit where he had been.

Tetorō sat silently working. Finally he said, quietly, "I'm going hunting. They're all okay for now. It's lessons."

"Exam time, really?" Michael complained with a fifth of his brain. "She always did like surprising us."

"You think it's her?"

"Yup. Every signature is someone else, just like yours, but it isn't you, so it has to be her. That's why I wanted you out. Go for it. Want me to provide a surprise to deliver?"

"Ahh...only if it says you, not me."

Michael did pause briefly for that. "Okay, not."

Tetorō nodded and slipped out, smaller than a gnat.

Michael finally did figure out how to have every Hacker in town work together to get out from under the attacking fire they were under. As he lay sweating, waiting for Tetorō to return, he grumbled to himself. "Just gotta train me to be 'General' in a sudden blitz, huh? Why can't you just go easy on me for once? Is it still paybacks?"

A gnat landed next to him. "Of course not, Michael," he looked up. She was smiling down at them, Tetorō unfolding to his usual internal size. "Let Shiroe know I'm on my way. I'm picking up Nyanta first. Good job to everyone...though it was very necessary, apparently," she frowned at them. "Have him scold the Round Table thoroughly. They've put together a plan for if this happens again, and won't tell him they had the gaping hole shoved in their faces. I left the recording of the conversation in Tetorō's pocket. You should probably all listen to it."

She smiled again, her eyes lighting up, "But the Eagles passed with flying colors. Commendations to Reed. Ask to see that replay. Ah...and apologize to Crescent Moon for me. I didn't know Naotsugu was headed over to see Marielle at the construction site, or I'd have set it off earlier. Though they did a great job, too. I was most impressed with their quick response and the fact they were willing to sacrifice for others' happiness and attempts to grow. I'll give them all kitten kisses later, if they've forgiven me. You can tell Shiroe to use them as an example, with West Wind Brigade, as to what to do when he scolds everyone else."

Purrcy dropped down and gave Michael a kiss on the head, and then one to Tetorō. "See you soon." She disappeared.

"Ah, damn," Michael complained.

"What? You got a kiss, too." Tetorō looked at him, irritated.

"She waltzed in here without even setting off a single alarm, nor even busting down the door. I really hate it when she fails me without even saying a word."

"Oh, that. Yeah. I felt a bit like a piece of lint when she picked me up and we started flying back here. I couldn't even wiggle free or change size. I think it's that she's gone up in levels again, after a month or so coding at world level again."

Michael looked at Tetorō out of the corner of his eyes. "Did she pick up a new title again?"

Tetorō shook his head. "I think it fell under one she already has, so it was just experience again. But I still can't read her Class, so I could be wrong. It might have been a Class upgrade."

"Oh, yeah, there's that option, too." Michael lay looking up at the ceiling of his foxhole.

"Um...am I free enough over there to get out and go home yet?" Tetorō asked.

Michael snorted. "I've only just managed to get everyone else free. I figured it'd take both of us to get you out. Shall we go take a look?"

They arrived in one millisecond and slumped. "Well...I guess that's what we get, then," Michael said, resigned.

"Yup," Tetorō agreed. "If we couldn't figure it out, she gets to keep it her secret." He rubbed the back of his head. "I can't decide if that's a good thing, or if I'm going to regret it later."

"My thought exactly," Michael agreed. He waved a hand and went back to his own body as Tetorō returned to his. None of the students mentioned he'd grabbed Tetorō in an embarrassing way and they'd moved his hand so their instructors wouldn't know.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael and Tetorō cancelled class for the rest of the day and warned everyone that they may as well call it good until after the festival. Since everyone was very worn out and the guilds wanted them for other tasks anyway, it worked for them all. The healers healed everyone up enough that they managed to weave their way home, but then they fell into bed until they'd slept it off. Michael and Tetorō didn't have that luxury... and really were used to it by now, after the Maze of Eternity and being trained by Purrcy to begin with. They were just tired, instead of exhausted.

"Come on home, boys. Results and conference time," Michael sent on the sub-guild line.

"Yosh, Sir," came back.

"They sound happy," Michael commented briefly to Tetorō. He called up the guild hall. "Shiroe, we're out and on our way. It was the final...or something. We've sent them all home until after the festival. They'll all sleep for the next eight hours, I wouldn't wonder. It was city-wide. You need to check in with the Council briefly to let them know you're okay, I suspect. We'll be back shortly."

"Thanks. Will do." Shiroe said and the line cut. Michael had learned to not take offense. Shiroe seemed to like quick reports and moved just as quickly. It was necessary efficiency. He was swamped with the work to the city and then with his own projects as well.

Tetorō looked at Michael quizzically. "He called while we were inside. I had enough at that moment to at least get it across we were in trouble and he understood, just asked me to contact him when we were done."

"He has a lot of faith in us," Tetorō said wryly. "I wasn't sure there I'd ever get out. How'd you know physical touch would do it?"

Michael just looked at him. Tetorō finally waved a hand, understanding. Even though they were guild mates and allies, Hackers always had things they didn't explain or show off. It was a sub-class with lots of dangers involved in it. The little hidden tricks might be the one thing to save your life some day. Michael had been trained by watching Purrcy as much as Tetorō had. The two Hackers had different coding and spell casting styles, but you always learned something watching other Hackers at work, regardless of style differences.

They arrived at the Log Horizon guild hall to find the rest of the guild, minus the Eagles, sitting in their places around the central table of the common multipurpose room in the comfortable chairs that Michael had dubbed the Officer's Seats. Naotsugu was in his usual place in the center of the couch. He had one arm around Marielle, who was cuddled up close to him. Henrietta was on the chair next to her, perched on the edge, her hands slightly clenched around the edge of a clipboard. A pen was tucked into her hair over one ear. She looked at the two of them a little wildly. Naotsugu nodded at them, his face just a little drawn. Tetorō frowned at that and moved to sit next to him on the other side, in his usual place. He looked Naotsugu in the face. "It's okay, right?"

"Is it?" Naotsugu asked back.

Tetorō sighed and ran a hand through his spiky orange hair. "We'll spill in a bit. Michael's called the rest back. They were part of it, too. It was the whole guild, and all the Hackers in town...well it was the whole town, really, but we'll get there." He closed his lips tightly. Everyone slumped. The field monitor knew stuff, and wasn't spilling without the whole team present. There was bad news in the mix, even if they'd all been given kisses.

Michael took the chair next to Henrietta - mostly because it was open. He didn't open his mouth either. He was a tank, like Naotsugu and Touya, who was next around the circle, his hands behind his head, watching the field in relaxed alert. Michael sat casually and rubbed his hand tiredly over his face. When a mouth opened to ask a question, he looked away. He really wasn't going to talk, either. The mouth closed and the face fell, but that was okay - it was temporary - even if it was the guildmaster. "Did you survive it, Miss Henrietta," he asked politely, since he'd sat next to her.

"Yes, thanks to Naotsugu's quick reactions. It was a bit frightening."

Michael nodded. "It's like that. No warning and suddenly blitzkrieg. Not my favorite training method."

"Well...there was a warning. We got explosions first to get our attention," Minori said. She was next to Touya, her hands clenching her skirt a little.

"Oh?" Michael asked. "We didn't. We were probably already under when that happened. We got it in the middle of the class, after all." Minori nodded understanding, looking sympathetic.

"I would personally have preferred to not have had to run quite so much, myself," Rudy said from his place standing behind Isuzu.

Isuzu nodded. "We can only handle one of the three attacks, and were still too far out. We managed to make it, though, since everyone was out on the balconies by the time we got here."

Michael clicked his tongue sympathetically, shaking his head. "We'll have to work with you two, then. There's surely more you can do. Intent's the key, remember."

"Would that work for me and status attacks, too?" Naotsugu asked wryly. "I could handle physical attacks of course, and the magic attacks I can use intent to deal with if I bounce them off the shield or dodge them, but the status attacks I'm a bit clueless on. I had to outrun them. I'm glad I'm over one hundred now so can run without tiring. That's my only bonus against them at the moment."

Tetorō rubbed his chin. "We should be able to work something out...," he mulled, his eyes going distant. "Maybe if we watch Shiroe cast a few negating spells we can find something...."

"What do you do inside?" Shiroe asked.

Tetorō and Michael both blinked. "Shield."

"Against status effects?" Naotsugu asked, disbelieving.

"Yeah. It's magic attacks we have to send equivalent attacks against, like Rudy does," Tetorō explained.

Naotsugu leaned forward, putting his chin in his hand and his elbow on his knee. Marielle took his arm in hers and held on to it. Without thought, he held her other hand in his. "Was that the red ones that sort of acted like goo and ate at the shields in the demo?"

The Hackers nodded. "Yeah. They stick and melt it away, but in doing that, during the time for the status effect to take effect, they wear themselves out, so to speak. We time the 'strength' of the shield for that timing. It has to last as long or we might get spattered with a more minor effect. That will last shorter, unless the spell's particularly nasty. Then even a little's bad."

"Well, I don't really want my shield eaten up," Naotsugu frowned.

Michael tipped his head. "It might not have to be." He tapped a finger as he thought. "You might be able to 'intend' that it's a shield that the goo sticks to but it doesn't have an effect on. You're high enough level it should work for all but the worst status effect spells. Like paint-ball. You'll just have to wash it off after the battle's over, without touching it. A spell from a recovery class might work, just cast it on the shield with the intent to remove all status effects and curses, that kind of thing."

Marielle sat up at the last. She was a Cleric, like Tetorō's Class, the highest of the recovery classes when it came to HP and MP ups. Naotsugu got a calculating look. "I like that. Paint-ball. As long as it doesn't erode the shield so much I lose it, right?"

"Right," Michael nodded. "Probably the sooner you've cast a recovery on it, less will be eaten. Though I would think if your intention is it won't eat it at all, you're okay. Just the acidic ones will need to have the recovery spell cast sooner than later."

"There're acidic ones?" Naotsugu sat up in alarm.

Michael and Tetorō sighed. "You'll get a feel for it eventually."

Naotsugu sat back again, putting his arm around Marielle again. "Still a lot to learn, huh?" They nodded glumly. He raised an eyebrow. "Lost?"

They both nodded. "He got the rest of them out, but the two of us lost," Tetorō admitted.

"And she didn't even scold us, just took the opportunity to learn away," Michael gave a dark look, folding his arms. "Moves too damn fast," he muttered.

The rest of them all nodded. "Since the beginning," Shiroe said wryly. Akatsuki nodded and Tetorō looked away.

"Speaking of which...isn't it early?" Naotsugu rubbed his head. "Wasn't it supposed to take a whole month?"

"Yes," Shiroe said calmly, "that was her estimate, but I gave her until the festival, so it's about right."

"Oh, that's why she's gone up in levels, then. She pushed or she was creative," Tetorō said glumly.

"Well...and she did defeat her mirror self with Nyanta-an," Naotsugu pointed out.

Tetorō raised an eyebrow. "That's true...and with a simple spell set, too." He shook his head. "Talk about example." He sighed and leaned back against the couch.

Shiroe looked at them curiously. "Do either of you know what her level is?"

They both shook their heads. "Can't read that, or Class either. They're as hidden as she keeps her age," Tetorō quipped. Eyes were rolled. Everyone knew what that was: "older than Nyanta". It was about the same, then, only knowing she was "high level whatever Class".

The door opened and twenty-three men streamed in and took up positions on the floor towards the door side of the room, behind the chairs Michael and Henrietta were sitting in. The last one closed the door behind him and walked over to stand in the corner space between Michael and Touya. "Guildmaster, Commander. All present and accounted for."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Commander," Michael said. "Stand down. It will be a somewhat long report." Everyone got comfortable. "I'll start with one thing, though. You in particular have been given a commendation for your part today. Wear it with pride." He held out his hand and a light left his fingers to move over to land on Reed's chest, where it turned into a golden paw print.

Reed looked at it, then smiled. "Thank you, Sir."

"I'm just the messenger," he said looking his second in the eye. "You did the work. She watched it." Reed blushed just slightly and nodded.

"We've got one for Crescent Moon, too," Tetorō said quietly. He reached around Naotsugu and a light left his finger and drifted over to Marielle. "That's for calm quick thinking in the line of sudden duty, and for remembering what's important while you were doing it. There's an apology attached to it, too. The timing was messed up by Naotsugu deciding to come visit just then."

"Not my fault," Naotsugu snorted.

"No," agreed Tetorō. "But there it is."

Marielle looked down at the gold paw print and sighed. "Well...I guess it's good she recognizes it."

"To some degree," Michael grumbled. The rest silently agreed.

Tetorō leaned forward. He pulled out a box and set it on the table in front of them. "She said West Wind Brigade did passably, and no comment on here, so you must have done well enough as well. But here's the rest of the city." He tapped the box and the voices of the guildmasters of the Round Table Council began talking. He sat back and let it run while they all listened. When it was done, there was silence for a while until Shiroe shifted, signaling he was returning from deep thought. Tetorō leaned forward and tapped the box. It disappeared. "She suggests a scolding." He said it neutrally.

Shiroe nodded, then looked at Michael. He nodded. "Show us your report, Reed," he ordered.

"Charlie," the order was passed down.

A shimmering cube appeared over the table. On all four vertical sides of it, a video image appeared then moved fast a bit as the proper start time was found, then it began to play out. They watched the actions of the field from just before the explosion until the last of the hounds was gone. "Pause," Michael said. "Reed...what was the spell? What were you looking for?"

"Any snake in the grass," the Lieutenant Commander answered. "Things still felt wrong. Like it had to be more than that."

Tetorō's eyes went distant and then the scene on the screen changed. Surrounding Reed, and sitting on top of every member of the Eagles was another colored marker. There were soft groans from behind Michael. "Back it up to the beginning of that round. When did they show up?"

As the colored lights of the three normal kinds of attacks faded out, the hounds rose up and stalked onto the field. As soon as the spell to see them went off, a flock of red 'birds' fluttered down from the sky. "A trigger on the hounds," Tetorō said softly. "Meant to go off after the visual was attached, so they were effectively new." They watched as the birds circled overhead, then began to settle on top of each man, some sitting on heads, some on shoulders. Tetorō looked over at the squadron and cast the visual spell again. They still had the birds on them. They broke out in chuckles, shaking heads ruefully.

Tetorō frowned and stood. He reached out a hand to touch the closest one, then didn't quite. "What do you think, Michael?" he asked.

"What did the first one do?" he asked Reed.

"Gave us a doggy kiss and a Mother hug."

Michael looked at the bird on Reed's shoulder in the code realm. "Okay," he nodded. "Pull the code in. It's a present. Look at it closely so you know what it does."

Reed, and most of the rest of them, did. There was a brief glow around them, then a look of satisfaction, or bliss, on their faces. "She's so nice," one of the ones in the back said dreamily. The more tentative ones accepted their own gifts.

Tetorō, Naotsugu, Shiroe, and Michael all looked sour. Henrietta was fighting to not look the same, her back ramrod stiff. Isuzu looked at them all, then sighed. "Until you get scolded. Keep up the good work. We really don't want to see what the Far-Flung Field Monitor is like when she scolds an entire raid." She sat up and stretched her back. "Did you get out of her when she's supposed to be back, Tetorō?"

"She's headed to Nyanta-san now. They'll come back together however long that takes. She's probably going to test him first, too, so not today or tomorrow, is my guess. Day after at the earliest, sometime, unless someone gets too impatient."

Shiroe went for a bland disinterested look. It would take that long for everyone to remember why the did want to see her after today. He wondered if that's why she'd timed it for now. His eyes caught something in the recorded scene. He sighed. "And it looks like my guess that we were going overseas next was right." The others looked at him and he nodded his head at the cube hanging in the air. "Look at Rieze."

Charlie zoomed in on Rieze. Standing next to her was a shadow of light with a hand on Rieze's shoulder. Charlie started it playing again about half-speed and the ghost patted Rieze's shoulder, leaned over to whisper in her ear, then rubbed the top of her head and disappeared. Shiroe shook his head. "I hope she didn't actually hear that. - She probably didn't or she'd already be beating the door down."

"What do you think it was?" Naotsugu asked.

"I think she just promised we'll go retrieve Crusty." Shiroe wrinkled his nose.

"He won't be happy to see us," Akatsuki said sadly.

"I thought he couldn't come home?" Isuzu asked, puzzled.

"He can't...but who has the skills to find out why and how to fix it?" Shiroe asked dryly. There were sighs around the table and Tetorō nodded solemnly. "The only thing I'm not clear on yet is why she wants him." He stared at the paused screen without seeing it for a while, then shifted and looked back at the room. "What did the two of you learn?" Shiroe asked Tetorō and Michael.

"I got blitzkrieged into a full city-wide team effort to dig all the Hackers out of their locked down positions. First lesson in General-ship, I figure." Michael said coolly, crossing his legs. "Except the team. They had a different test, as you already saw. I barely managed to survive to get that far."

Tetorō nodded glumly. "I pretty much failed it all. She locked me into a mirror room, tighter than Michael's last one. He had to come fish me out. Then I went looking for her and she swept me up with the lint and carried me back and dropped me back in his zone, then took her room away so we couldn't join forces to learn how to take it apart from the outside."

Shiroe looked up, frowning slightly. "How much did you get to look at later?"

"A lot of the inside, and one clip of the outside. I can't see anything though."

"Did you see the one on Michael?"

Tetorō furrowed his brow. "Not really. Do you have a clip, Michael?"

Michael went digging and handed what he had over. "It isn't much," he shrugged.

"How did you get him out?"

"Physical touch."

Shiroe looked at Michael with a raised eyebrow. "That works?"

Michael sighed, then nodded. Shiroe shook his head. "You're supposed to add working with Michael, Tetorō. He's got things to teach you, too."

The two looked at each other in surprise, then looked chagrined. "I'll bet it was gone as soon as you brought me over," Tetorō said.

"Most likely," Michael said thoughtfully. He looked at Shiroe. "She wants us both, huh?"

Shiroe looked at him blandly. "Well, that's obvious from the beginning. We've all been waiting for the two of you to finally shake hands." They both blushed, not able to look at each other. "She doesn't hold things back from either of you, does she? At least that you're ready for?" They blushed harder, then shook heads. Shiroe sighed. "Consider yourselves scolded and fix it."

"Yes, sir," they replied.

"She did drop me back with you," Tetorō admitted.

Michael nodded, then sat up straight. He went inside, then groaned. "Here, this is what the thing we walked out of together looked like."

Tetorō paused, then his face fell. He wiggled uncomfortably for a moment. "Alright. That made it obvious." They both took large breaths, and looked at each other, then nodded. "We'll set up a schedule," Tetorō said.

"She'll want us there by...the wedding, no doubt," Michael said.

"That's ambitious, but it isn't too far off the mark," Shiroe said. "Certainly by the time she drags us into major battle again." Shiroe pushed up his round glasses. "How settled is the Academy now?"

Marielle frowned as she thought about it. Henrietta sat up in surprise. Shiroe's look kept her quiet. "West Wind teachers are doing well. We are hoping for more applications from Minami when they come. The word from the employment offices there is good. We're mostly set up to take them in. In general things are smoothing out pretty nicely." She looked up at him curiously. He was fixing her with his sharp look. She glanced nervously at Henrietta and noticed she'd gone on alert. "Um," she worried her index fingers together, "...why?" She peeked out from under her lashes. Naotsugu was grinning silently behind her.

"Because, I think we'll be needing to pull our instructors out for a while, Head Teacher," Shiroe said calmly. "They've just had their final. Plan the ceremony to be the evening of the second day of the Festival, after the joint council press conference, so that we can draw in even more from Minami and hopefully a few more from here. The Dean will be here to hand out diplomas and grades by then."

"But...but that was just the Hacker final...wasn't it?"

"No one's checked to see yet, have they?" Shiroe answered back mildly.

Marielle jumped up from her seat. "I - I'll go check right now!" she bowed, twice, then rushed to the door.

Henrietta rose, and pushed her glasses up. "I'll let West Wind Brigade know, shall I?"

Shiroe sat back. "Yes, please."

Henrietta bowed. "Very well. Good evening." She turned and followed after her guildmistress more sedately. She didn't let out her completely stressed out feelings until she was back in her own guild hall, next door. Then she sank to the floor next to the couch and put her head on her arms, resting on it. "Dark Shiroe," she moaned. "You are only very slightly eclipsed by Dark Purrcy. Only very slightly."

They were still in the middle of preparing for a bi-city goodwill festival. To have added to that both a graduation ceremony, and taking away their best Hacker instructors...it really was too much. They _were_ the second smallest guild on the Round Table Council, after Log Horizon itself. She hoped Purrcy showed up soon and let her pet her for a long time. She needed it, desperately.

A warm touch was on her cheek, and she heard purring. For a long time, she didn't open her eyes. When the warmth finally was receding, she cracked them open to see just the final glimmer fading away. She relaxed. Purrcy was really good. She'd saved her reward for just when she needed it. Henrietta sighed and finger-drew patterns on the couch in front of her.

"Oh! Miss Henrietta! I thought you were Miss Marielle. So sorry." Henrietta could only laugh at herself. "No. Wait. If you're acting like Miss Marielle.... Lock the doors! Batten down the hatches! Miss Purrcy's on her way back!" Henrietta hid her face in her arms again. It wouldn't help. It was too late. She'd already arrived with a bang and slid in under the cracks.


	2. Nyanta's Delight

Nyanta was sitting on a lower branch of a tree in his grey cat form, his front paws tucked under his white underbib. On this particular branch, it was most comfortable to be about half the size his full panther was, just a little larger than bobcat. The shade in the tree was nice since it was the still of the day, just past noon. He'd eaten his lunch already, and was sitting in contemplation. For the last three weeks he'd been in three beast-half villages, one felinoid and two wolf-fang. He was trying to decide if it was worth it to try to get to the last one marked on his map, or if he should call his gryphon and head home.

He was required for the Pumpkin Festival in Akiba and there wouldn't be much time to visit at the village once he did make it there. He wouldn't need to stay long this time, since he'd already learned the customs generally of each beast-half. It would be enough to just open relations. It was tempting to just complete the job out, but he'd probably arrive back in Akiba a day late. His tail flicked in slight annoyance. He shouldn't have stayed so long in the second wolf-fang village. He'd just wanted to do a proper job and lost sense of time in doing it.

He blinked slowly, then sighed. There was another thing pushing him to return. His wife was supposed to return at the same time...if she was allowed to, if she had completed her requirement. The same thing made him not in a hurry. He didn't want to be there without her. It was somehow hard to face other people right now, a thing he wouldn't have thought before then. But, when she'd said that she would have to be gone for a month, somehow he'd not wanted to be present either. To have others around when she wasn't was somehow too hard.

For all he was a psychologist by training, he was having a hard time dealing with being in this world since he'd decided to move forward. As long as he'd lived in the stasis of "sometime we'll get back home" he'd been able to just live life day by day, as he had before coming. He hadn't even been willing to consider that life would end for him when he did return. Or perhaps he hadn't had to because of the state of stasis he'd been in. Since he'd willingly accepted Purrcy, though, life was moving forward in and around him. He supposed that's what was the hardest - to come to terms with that motion.

A massive wedding was planned, now. New responsibilities were looming. And here, in this place, he wouldn't ever die (most likely) and neither would she. It shouldn't really matter that she wasn't here. They'd always be together, even if there were brief portions of time they weren't side by side. Still...maybe because it hadn't been several hundred years yet, but only a mere few months, he was lonely - wanting the source of calm Purrcy was in the midst of the motion that she'd started. And now he was depressed. He sighed again. He should probably just go home and let the children cheer him up. That would be much better than sitting out here getting more depressed than was logical to become. He flicked an ear and rubbed his head on the rough bark of the branch under him, trying to brush away his dark thoughts more than scratch his ear.

"ProudWing, I'm ready."

[I'm on my way, Nyanta.]

It had been more convenient to have added his gryphon to his party so they could chat than he had thought. That he didn't have to pull out his Summon whistle and figure out how to blow it as a full cat was a minor convenience he was enjoying just at the moment. He stood on all fours, stretched and shook, then lightly jumped down to the ground. He felt pretty comfortable with getting into and out of trees now, though he hadn't figured out how to do the tall ones Purrcy loved yet.

He headed for the closest clearing that ProudWing could land in. He reached the edge of it and sat in the dappled shadows to wait, back to full panther size since he'd left his contemplation spot. He set his natural cat eyes to see any motion, particularly from the sky, and went back to his meditation to pass the time. He registered the speck that was ProudWing growing closer, but didn't really return, since there was still time.

Suddenly, his body was up and poised to move forward, his ears perked forward. It took a moment to return and get his eyes to focus on what his body had seen. At the same time as ProudWing was circling the clearing to land, it finally registered. His heart stopped, but his body moved, leaving his brain behind. He was running full speed, streaking across the clearing. He quickly reset what he wanted to have happen, then let his heart catch back up.

A black calico felinoid was standing at the other side of the clearing, swirls of gold galaxies and grey and white star speckles making her as much shadow as he had been on his side. Until he had moved, she hadn't registered his location. Now her ears were focused on his run towards her, everything stiff in anticipation. At the last few feet he transformed, wanting to feel her in his arms again. Then he was clinging to her, arms tightly around her shoulders and neck, body pressed to hers, smelling her scent, rubbing cheeks, kissing her neck.

The pressure of her arms around him brought him back a little. As she pet him, he was able to return to breathing, though his body still shivered from his head to his tail in the only way the felinoid form knew how to cry, tears not being possible. She turn her head to his and then they were kissing, having practiced that much already. When they couldn't breathe, he pulled away and held her head to his. "Purrcy…," he called her name but couldn't continue beyond that for a moment, his voice catching.

"Nyanta, I'm home," she said in a quiet voice. "If I could never leave your arms again, I'd be content."

He held her even closer. "...As would I," he finally managed to reply. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. This kind of wild emotional reaction was another thing not normal for him that having her in his life evoked. "Welcome home."

His heart cried. He really never wanted her to ever be gone from this place in his arms, as unreasonable as that was. He shuddered again and she ran a hand down his back again. He shook on purpose, then took another deep breath, and another, then purposely pulled away to look at her, keeping his paws on her shoulders. His eyes searched her's. "Are mew really back, then?" he asked her.

Purrcy nodded emphatically. "Yes. My task is done, and this is really me."

[If it helps...it really is the Caretaker Purrcy you can't let go of,] ProudWing interjected. It was said kindly, but Nyanta was sure there were teasing undertones.

An ear flicked slightly in embarrassment, but he put that down quickly. He was, in the main, justified. It was the first time since nearly two years ago that he was greeting her in her own body. It had been a borrowed body for the whole time they'd been together this more recent time - multiple borrowed bodies actually. He touched the top of her head and ran his paw over the top of it and down. Her eyes closed halfway and she started purring. His lips lifted in a smile and he leaned in to listen to the purr, licking her under the closest ear and grooming around it.

Purrcy sighed a little in pleasure. "I still don't know how you can do that so easily. My human sensibilities say a mouthful of fur isn't really desirable."

Nyanta chuckled. "Because I know mew feel that way. Mew know I like to tease mew."

Her ear flicked out of range and stayed down and back, the equivalent of a feline grimace, and he smiled again and hunted it down to lick it more firmly for running away in the first place. She gave up and slumped in his arms, making his heart beat more rapidly and his eyes sharpen to predatory sharpness. This was why he liked to tease her. She so willingly gave in to him when he did. She was such a strong personality, that to have her submit to him in this way was only his to enjoy. He wanted to hold her down and groom her until she was completely his, but because that's what he wanted, he didn't. There would be many years to come. It could happen when he really wanted it to happen.

Instead, he let go of her with one arm and turned to look at ProudWing, keeping his other arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Well, I guess mew'll be carrying two."

[I gathered,] ProudWing said dryly and clacked his beak together.

"Can I take you to my favorite woods, first, Nyanta?" Purrcy asked. "I've allowed for all of tomorrow if you want. We don't have to be back until the next morning." She was looking earnestly into his face.

He looked at her, then bent down and swept her up into his arms and carried her over to ProudWing. "Of course, my dear," he said gallantly with a smooth purr in his voice.

She stared at him wide-eyed for just a moment, ears and focus all on him. It tickled him that he could do that to her, too. She blinked a few times, then flung her arms around his neck and snuggled her face in his neck. "God, I love you, Nyanta!" She took a long breath, her nose tucked in right at the join of his neck and shoulder making him shiver lightly in pleasure as the air lightly fluffed the fur there. He had the sudden sense they were both going to become lost in the next moment and he froze, closing his eyes and not breathing until the moment passed just enough he could gently set her down in front of ProudWing.

She released him and turned to fling her arms around ProudWing. "It's so good to see you, too. Thank you for taking care of him for me."

[My pleasure,] the gryphon rubbed his head against her shoulder.

Nyanta wanted to touch her again, to turn her back to touch him again, so he reached up and rubbed a paw in ProudWing's feathers instead. Leaving her there with an anchor, he moved around to ProudWing's side and began saddling him. After the blanket and saddle were on, and while he was buckling it, suddenly Purrcy was up on the back of ProudWing's neck and shoulders. Nyanta caught just enough of the motion to see she'd been lifted up while holding on to the gryphon's neck high near the head. She was already shifting to small cat and in short order had made her way up the back of the neck of the gryphon to sit on top of his head, like some strange crown.

Nyanta smiled, remembering he'd done something similar with her himself when she'd been kitten sized. He went back to buckling the saddle, then climbed up himself. He looked up into her golden eyes with his greens and called her softly. She obediently slid back down, as if she were snow skiing, making him smile again. She lept into his arms, then transformed back into felinoid, sitting sideways to him and wearing a warm sweater and jeans with ankle high boots. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for another kiss, then turned to ProudWing. "The Ancient Forest of Eternal Sleep, please, ProudWing. You'll remember where."

The gryphon hissed a laugh. [Yes. Only your most favorite place.] He spread his wings and with a powerful leap of his legs and downward flap of his wings, launched them into the air.

-:-:-:-:-

They were in the air for nearly three and a half hours from where they started, headed northwest of Akiba. The high wind speeds of flight made normal conversation difficult, but because of how the chat function worked, they could still converse that way. Purrcy asked Nyanta all sorts of questions about his childhood and growing up in Japan and shared similar stories from her own childhood in the United States. It was an enjoyable way to pass the time, getting to know each other that much better. Sometimes cultural differences that came out of the stories were very marked, but for the most part they were similar stories of learning to live in their world as children of adults learning to become adults, as happens for every child that ever lives.

They'd been flying over rolling mountains for much of the time, but eventually ProudWing began to decrease his altitude. Ahead of them in the distance was a tree mountain whose canopy spread widely. ProudWing headed for the adjacent mountain and a more clear area for landing. They dismounted and Nyanta removed the saddle and tack from the gryphon, putting it away. He suddenly paused for just a moment, then looked at Purrcy, his ears asking a question. "Purrcy...if that was Nureha, ...where is the food that was packed? And all meowr things?"

Purrcy smiled. "Don't worry, Nyanta. She and I properly took care of it." He tipped his head at her as she rubbed ProudWing's head. "Thank you again. Will you come get us up top in the morning, please?"

[Of course,] ProudWing licked her cheek.

"Give WhiteCloud my regards. I do hope she's recovered."

Nyanta and ProudWing both smiled. [She is doing much better, particularly since Nyanta explained it to her Summoner.]

"Oh!" Purrcy straightened and her ears perked up. "That's wonderful!" She turned to Nyanta and threw her arms around him. "Thank you, Nyanta!" She squeezed him tightly and pecked him on the cheek. Letting go she paused then sighed. "Except, now I won't have the required excuse to come see you both as often."

They laughed at her. "I'm sure we can go visit whenever mew miss them, meow," Nyanta said kindly, putting his paw on her head. She smiled back at him.

When they had parted from ProudWing, she turned to look up into the canopy of trees above them. "Will you follow me up? We need to go around the shorter trees a bit to visit the Princess, then we can go in. I'd like to see how you're doing, but I'd think it hasn't been long enough to climb the tall ones yet."

Nyanta looked at the woods. The closest trees were as tall as the one going up through the center of the six story Log Horizon guild hall. Nyanta noted that for this part of this forest, that was small to average. He wasn't surprised. He already knew Purrcy's favorite trees were the tall ones. "No, this is even more than I've done so far."

Purrcy nodded. "Then follow me and watch what I do. Once we're up, we'll just run along the branches until we get where we're going unless you want to try it more than once - the going down. The more practice you get doing that, the better, but it is very wearying."

Nyanta eyed the trees dubiously. "Well...let's at least try the up and between first. Then we'll see."

Purrcy transformed to full-size panther and he followed suit. She glanced at him over her shoulder then, with a twitch of an ear, was running for the first of the trees before them at a full out run, her whole black calico body stretching out with every bound. He followed suit and programmed his body to imitate hers. He knew he needed to keep it that general. She was far more experienced at being in that form than he was. He paid close attention to what his body did in getting up the first tree. At that speed it was hard to process as they went so he just collected the data. Purrcy ended up one branch level higher than he did, in the end. She paused with him as he processed what his body had done to get there, noting the slightly lighter depth to sink the claws into the bark than on the shorter trees, and the additional surge of the muscles as they pushed against the tree to gain even more height and keep the speed going.

When he was ready, he nodded and she turned and ran lightly along her branch towards the next tree, leaping to a branch on it. He watched her then paused just long enough to calculate branch locations and trajectories, and soundness of landing options, then he was also running down his chosen branch after her, leaping off to fly to the next tree branch. The springiness of the branches was a bit surprising, but in his prior learning he'd worked hard at not interrupting the calculations of his natural cat body, so he swallowed his concern and stayed "small" as only an outside observer. When he was on the next tree and moving to the other side of the trunk after Purrcy, he worked at understanding it after the fact again.

After a while, he just ran and jumped after her without much thinking about it, just trying to memorize the feel of it. He paused a moment, then realized she had before he did. He pulled his attention back to see she was grinning at him. His ear twisted back in chagrin. "You've already done a good job of making this natural. ...Now let's see if you can learn to enjoy it as well."

He shook his head at himself. She moved quickly and was suddenly in front of him. He reared back a little in surprise, blinking. She reached out a paw and touched him. "Tag. You're it." She was off. He snapped his open mouth closed and took off after her. She didn't go just straight any more. Now she went up and around and down. The first time she went all the way around a tree, he got confused, not seeing her go straight across as normal. She laughed at him from the other side of the tree. He set his instincts to hunt, not just follow, after that. That was much better. Not only did he give better chase, he found it exciting. When he tagged her after twenty minutes, she was surprised in turn.

He laughed at her then took off, going generally the direction she'd already been taking them. This time he set himself to evade. After about ten minutes of staying out of her reach, he could tell she was getting serious about catching him. The more serious she got, the more determined he became at staying out of reach until he was moving quickly from tree to tree and up and down in the branches. At twenty minutes, she pulled back the pressure and a few minutes later stopped in a tree near the trunk, lying down on her branch to rest. She watched him with her eyes and ears, and her tail twitched, still wanting to give chase. She didn't move, though, until she was calming down.

Nyanta had paused on the next tree over, turned to watch her, but still poised for flight. As she calmed, he sat on his haunches to rest and watch her. His delight in the run rose up in him and his ears were also pricked towards her. She reached out and patted the branch in front of her. "We need to go down from here," she said to him. He wasn't in a hurry for that part, but he obediently went back to her tree and walked up to her, putting his nose to hers in a cat kiss. "You've done very well," she praised him. "Being high level at the beginning makes me a bit jealous. I had to learn all of that at my low levels. Of course, by the time I made it here I wasn't. You're about right as far as level goes for this forest, you just need the practice." She rose to her feet. "Watch me, like the going up, then come down when you're ready."

She turned and looked down the tree trunk. He could see she was calculating and setting the course in her body. When she was ready, she stepped down onto the trunk head first, her claws setting into the bark the way she had shown him at the guild hall. He watched her all the way down, including the push from the last few feet to land on the ground, his ears twitching slightly and his paws moving ever so slightly in response to her own movements. When she was looking back up at him, he took a deep breath, then set himself next to the trunk of the tree in the position she had just left. He visualized the descent first. His muscles moved ever so slightly in response. A few times they seized and he backed up the visualization until he got the motion in his mind into agreement with what his muscles wanted to do. When he finally felt like the body and mind were in agreement, he told the body to go, firmly only looked to the next steps that needed to be taken, and started down the tree.

His focus was tightly only on the next few feet, but it still felt like a harrowing ten minutes or more, and he had to keep fighting the instinct to visualize himself falling heels over head, twisting to land in a painful heap at the bottom. Whenever that wanted to rise, his ear would twitch and he would quickly focus again on the next step and 'feel' arriving safely. By the time he neared the bottom, he was tiring. It had been a long run, and this distance climb down was new to his muscles for this amount of time. It helped he was level one hundred-one now, thanks to the Maze of Eternity, but still...this was new.

He managed to make it to the bottom, and his nose and ears did a quick survey. Finding Purrcy close, he collapsed flat on his belly on the ground, his chin between his stretched out forelegs. He lay there, just breathing for a while, his mind already replaying the whole walk down the tree to set it in his mind and muscle memories. When he returned, there was a body lying next to his, and the rumble of purring vibrating against that whole side. There was also a weight across his shoulders and lighter vibrations coming from that location.

He twitched an ear back then lifted his head enough to look over his shoulder. Purrcy was stretched out next to him, but had her head and neck resting on his back just over the shoulders, and she was purring. He looked at her, a little surprised. She lifted her head and gave his cheek a little lick. "You did very well," she praised him simply. "Are you feeling better now?" She kept the purring going.

Nyanta sighed. "Yes. That was about as terrifying as mew said it would be, though." She rubbed her head on his face sympathetically. "I'm used to going down now, but to have it go on for so long was rather much."

Purrcy nodded. "That's why getting practice is good. It's both strengthening and helps the mind decide it's okay. Still," she looked back up at the tree, "I'd rather fly off of them even that short."

Nyanta had to agree. "It will be some time before I'm there, I'm afurraid," he said sadly. "I'm not to wings yet."

She smiled and touched her nose to his cheek, then rose. He rose and padded next to her. He could smell the scent of water now, and it was growing stronger as they walked. They reached a deep stream filled with water that burbled against its banks. Purrcy turned to walk along it following it downstream. She also began to make burbling kinds of sounds and he looked at her curiously, but she didn't explain, just twitched her ears. The stream disappeared in front of them and they stopped at the edge of a drop off. The stream fell about thirty feet in a waterfall down into a deep pool below them, then continued on at the other side.

Purrcy called into the pool with a bit of a yowl mixed with strange water sounds. Nyanta's ears twitched to hear it, particularly as it echoed off the partial bowl around the pool. In the center of the pool there was a bubbling, then the water rose up in a spout. As the sparkling drops fell back into the pool, a more solid figure remained above the water, supported by a column of water. Nyanta blinked to see the naiad. She was larger than most and her water hair fell around her in great waves. Her eyes pierced them both, looking at Purrcy with recognition and Nyanta with a bit of suspicion. Slowly she moved on her column of water to come closer to them until they were at more of a conversational distance.

"Your Highness, this is Nyanta, my husband. Nyanta, this is Telentiel Polloupit, Fifth Princess of the naiad race in Yamato." The name sounded more like water hitting small rocks and a puddle than a real name. He supposed it would be said that way, too.

He bowed politely to the naiad. "Your Highness. It's a pleasure to greet mew."

"I've heard rumors that there is one claiming to be the husband of the Caretaker. It is pleasing to see it's true with my own eyes and hear it properly from her own mouth." The naiad Princess answered them.

"We'll be in the woods until tomorrow," Purrcy informed her. "We're going to the center tree. May we be permitted?"

The naiad measured them, then bowed her head. "You may."

"Thank you," Purrcy bowed her head also in response. Nyanta bowed as well. The naiad moved back to the center of her pool and returned under the surface. Purrcy turned and looked at Nyanta with a smile, her eyes sparkling. He smiled slightly back then rubbed his head on her. She giggled and licked his ear as it passed. Rising she led him back away from the pool and towards the outside again.

Once there she had him go up the "shortest" tree on his own first. He felt a little uncomfortable with going up that height on his own, but replayed the last time in his mind, settled it in his system the way he had the downward run, then picked his starting point and ending point. Taking a deep breath, he told his body to "go" and worked hard to match the run to what was expected, while allowing the body to be in control for the most part. With great focus, he was able to cling to the trunk and fling himself upward along it until he was in the lower branches. He flung himself on the closest branch, then collapsed on it, breathing hard, trying to still his frantically beating heart.

It was rather disconcerting for him to give up this much control, particularly at high speeds in high altitudes. He was very used to being very much in control all of the time. When he had that thought, he finally understood why he was struggling with moving forward, particularly when Purrcy wasn't around. He had somehow become completely emotionally unrestrained and he was afraid of that lack. He'd been dropped into the whirlpool, or storm, of his emotions and he wanted to cling to her like she was his life preserver. Not very healthy, really. His rational brain worked on that for a while instead of dwelling on the terror the climb - particularly the end of it - had left in him.

Purrcy arrived a few minutes later and paced to him to touch noses, then lick his cheek. Nyanta sighed a deep breath. She lay down opposite him, nose to nose. He considered her, and observed his own reaction to having her there with him again. He was calm and feeling peaceful again, even the run up the tree forgotten. Internally, he shook his head at himself. He was always calm and peaceful, from many, many years ago. Why was it different, really, when she wasn't there? He closed his eyes, smelling her scent so close to him, her warm breath close enough to feel. "Purrcy," he said quietly.

After a moment, she responded, "Mmm?"

It took a few more moments before he finished, rising to his feet first. She lifted her head to look at him curiously. "Will we be chaperoned tonight?"

She stared at him, stunned. " _Pft!_ " She turned her head and laughed. His ear twitched in slight embarrassment. She rose and rubbed against him as she turned and began to walk down the branch. "Yes, Nyanta. We will. Come on, we'll both feel better if we get there sooner." She lept forward, then ran lightly down to the end of the branch and into the next tree in towards the center of the woods. He followed after her, trying very hard to not feel "twitterpated". It was just as odd to be feeling like a teenager again as it was to be swept along by all the other emotions as well. Reliving puberty really had not been on his radar half a year ago. He sighed as he followed her. Someone his age...really.

-:-:-:-:-

They arrived at the tallest tree in the Ancient Forest of Eternal Sleep, in the very center of the forest. The floor of the forest was a bowl in the midst of the surrounding mountains. It only looked like a mountain itself because the trees were concentrically taller the closer into the center you traveled. The canopy of the central tree was several hundred feet in diameter on it's own. Purrcy stopped and sat down just before the leap to the central tree. There was a sufficient gap that it wasn't going to be an easy jump without a longer run and careful planning.

However, instead of looking like she was planning on jumping, she looked like she was waiting. Nyanta walked up behind her to look in the same direction she was, which was up a bit. He caught bits and flashes of color. "Mmm...who are the occupants?" he asked her.

She absently brushed her cheek against his face, which was over her shoulder. "A few dryads, some kodama, a number of wood sylphs, and the laumės. It isn't a particularly safe place for you, actually, which is why we'll leave it again in the morning. I've been given the blessing - as they call it - of being able to come and visit for a time on occasion. The laumės in particular don't like men. It would be wise of you to remain in cat form the entire visit."

"Ah...is that why they put men and Adventurers on the forest floor to sleep and cause them to wander in confusion?"

"Yes, that would be it," Purrcy nodded. "Also the slothful and unwise, but that's not you." Nyanta sat on his haunches behind her. "Being felinoid, they might not take as unkindly to you, but I'm not sure, really."

"I could stay here. That leap looks a bit much for me. It's a very long way down to the ground from here." He said it very practically. It was at least a quarter mile, actually. It really wasn't worth tempting fate when on the other side might be an even greater hurdle. "Will they be angry with mew for bringing me with mew?"

"Mmm...I don't think so. They'll also be curious, like the Princess was. They are more likely to make _me_ angry, but I'll do my best to not become too jealous."

Nyanta wasn't sure which would be worse, really. "Is this really meowr favorite place to come?"

She laughed a short laugh. "Yes, but it's because I can really fly from here for a very long ways."

"Figures," he said. "Maybe mew should have brought Michael?"

She looked at him over her shoulder witheringly. "He _is_ a full man. They would definitely not deal well with that." He conceded the point with a tip of an ear.

Suddenly a winged sprite appeared before them, the doubled dragon-fly-like wings attached to the thin but adult human-sized creature were thrumming. "Caretaker! You've come to visit?"

"Yes, please. Until morning, if it may be allowed, with my companion," Purrcy answered calmly.

The sprite rose in the air to one side just enough to look a little more closely at Nyanta, then zipped off into the higher reaches of the tree in front of them, out of sight. About three minutes later, the closest branch of that tree began to grow and reach out until the gap between the trees was closed. Purrcy stood and moved forward, "Stay very close to me," she said quietly. He practically walked on her hind feet with his front ones. Most nature elementals were not very trustworthy in all the lore and legends. It was with relief they both made it over, though once they were on the other tree, Purrcy moved more quickly and he followed. He could tell the branch was retreating towards them and had no desire to fall off of it on this side either.

Once they reached the trunk, she led him on upward paths to a place that was central to the canopy of the tree where several smaller branches covered in leaves made a bower that was the size of the Guild Hall of Akiba - rather large actually. Along the way, there had been many flashes of light and colors from the various denizens of the tree, some of whom had stopped and watched their progress briefly before moving on again. The bower was similar to a throne room, with a number of the magical woodland creatures in attendance on three female creatures who sat at the opposite end of the entrance at looms.

"Are they the Three Fates?" Nyanta asked quietly.

"No. They are the laumės. Though similar, they are more like wood dryads than the goddesses of Fate, being tied to the trees and the earth. They love children, are excellent at performing all tasks of a woman, enjoy weaving, and reward hard work and effort," Purrcy answered quietly as well. "They are from Lithuanian lore."

"Oh," Nyanta was surprised they would be in Yamato. The kodama were the wood dryads of Japan, but he supposed that the programmers would have pulled in lore from anywhere, since _Elder Tales_ was played world-wide.

They arrived before the laumės and stopped. "Purrcy, it's good to see you whole again," one said serenely.

"It's good to be whole again. Thank you for allowing me and my companion to visit," she answered respectfully.

"For what purpose have you come?" another asked.

"To introduce my companion to the Mother Tree, and to make a request of the beautiful laumės."

The third laughed lightly. "You do not need to flatter us, Caretaker."

Purrcy tipped her head. "It is, nonetheless, true."

"What is your request?" the first asked.

"I wish to grant a gift to the one who helped me regain my proper form again. It seemed to me that cloth woven by the hands of the laumės would be most appropriate." Purrcy sat and Nyanta followed suit, staying a half-step behind her.

"Is it this one?" the second laumė asked.

"No. It is for Archmage Shiroe," she answered calmly.

The three froze and surprise filled the hall. "The Archmage helped you?" Purrcy nodded. "He is one of only three who have brought their parties all the way to the foot of the Tree, and only he has defeated the final core of it," the laumės said. "Has he already not won his reward?"

"Perhaps he has won that reward, but this is for a different course," Purrcy said calmly. "He has led his party this time to repair the Adventurer Tree of Life, and succeeded."

The room froze for just one second, then was abuzz with comments from all over the hall. "He didn't...defeat it? He _repaired_ it?"

Purrcy bowed her head. "Even so, else I wouldn't be standing in my proper form today."

The laumės conferenced, then one turned and walked to a large treasure chest behind the three. Another turned to Purrcy. "We will honor the request and grant a laumė-woven cloth to be gifted to Archmage Shiroe."

Purrcy bowed. "Thank you. I will accept it for him and gift it to him when I return to his home again."

The laumė returned from the treasure chest with a shimmering folded cloth and carried it to Purrcy. Purrcy put her paw on it and it disappeared. That laumė looked at Nyanta more closely. "You wished to also introduce your companion to the Mother Tree, but he has already been here before. It already recognizes him."

Nyanta bowed his head. "I am blessed to receive such recognition." He chose the word Purrcy had used before, thinking that might be politic. His negotiation skill was pressuring him to use it, too.

"I wish for it to recognize that he is my mate," Purrcy said, looking that laumė in the eye.

The laumė looked back a little puzzled. "It is truly needed?"

Purrcy went very still and it seemed just a bit of chill wafted from her. "Respectfully, my lady, it is."

"Why?" one of the laumė still in her chair asked.

Purrcy pierced that one with her eyes as well. "Is not a Summonable an Eternal? I am born of both Trees of Life. He also has been to the Adventurer Tree of Life and it recognizes him. For him to be fully my mate for the Eternity, he also needs to be recognized as such by the Yamato Tree of Life."

Enlightenment came on the faces of all the woodland creatures in the room, though Nyanta was suddenly confused. "Sister, come here," the one who had questioned ordered. The one in front of them returned and was handed a red cord.

She returned with it. "Have you had the ceremony of binding yet?" she asked.

Purrcy shook her head. "Archmage Shiroe will perform it within a week."

"Before the pledge is given, have him bind your hands with this cord. It will record the vow and the Tree of Life will record it for Eternity."

Purrcy put her paw on it and it disappeared, as the cloth before had. "Thank you," she said regally. "It is now night. May we stay within the branches until the morning? We are willing to stay outside."

The laumė in front of them returned to her seat. There seemed to be a silent conference, then it was allowed. Purrcy bowed her head and Nyanta followed suit. When they reached the doorway, and walked through, Purrcy paused to look at one of the sprites standing near the door. Quietly she said, "Please, make it known that my companion is not to be teased nor tempted, or I shall become the tempest."

The sprite raised an eyebrow, then bowed slightly. "Yes, Caretaker."

Purrcy led Nyanta upward until they were at the very top of the tree. "You've been at the deepest roots of this tree," she said to him. "Now, look upward and see the night vista at the crown. Only you will ever have seen the whole of it in that manner."

Nyanta sat carefully balanced and looked from the horizon upward until he was looking at a thick spray of stars that glittered as if poured out of a cup and scattered. The only lights in the area were the faint fairy lights below them that hardly filtered through the thick leaves of the tree. Since he could see even better with his cat eyes, they shone brilliantly. Together they sat and looked at the whole sky until they were weary. Then they lay down together, nose to nose, as was their way in trees, and slept.

-:-:-:-:-

The peeking of the sun over the horizon woke Nyanta. He opened his eyes and for the second time was looking at a sunrise vista he wanted to remember because it had Purrcy in it. The sun moved up until it was haloing her head, then moved higher until it was crowning it. Finally it was sitting on top of her head, then slowly it moved to lift above it. He had to narrow his eyes to slits to be able to see it make that progression, but it delighted him.

When it was high enough, he reached out and tapped her cheek with his paw. "Should we be leaving soon?" he asked gently. She reached up and trapped his paw against her cheek and began to purr. He was certain she was quite sun warmed and it would take a bit for her to move at this point. Her black fur soaked up the warmth of the sun's rays quickly. "Really. Moving is safer, my dear," he said softly.

Her eyes snapped open. "Oh, my. Are we having a repeat of last time, then?" Her ears fell a little sadly. He didn't answer her. She sighed and rose in a stretch. "Well...I suppose we should go then. And maybe return home by tonight. I originally thought we might make it until tomorrow...but perhaps not."

Nyanta held himself very still, but she could feel the hunting instinct on him. She twitched an ear at him. "Call ProudWing. Go down to the first branch that will hold him and wait for him there. When you are both ready, call me and I'll go first and he'll follow. We've done it many times before."

Nyanta rose to his feet and moved down to the next branch, then to the next until he found one suitable. When he was placed, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he was still and quiet inside, he called for ProudWing. He kept his eyes closed as he waited, still seeing in his mind the newest vistas he'd been given and anticipating the one to come next.

When ProudWing arrived they greeted each other as usual. As he put the saddle on ProudWing the gryphon wanted to know if the visit had gone well. "I believe so," Nyanta answered quietly. "Purrcy received the gifts she asked for. One for Shiroe-ichi for succeeding at the Maze of Eternity, and the other for her." He finished tightening the saddle girth and paused, a hand on the saddle. Softly he added, "But the gift she gave me was the more glorious of them all." He paused a moment longer, then pulled himself into the saddle. ProudWing was looking at him over his shoulder, an interested look in his eyes. Nyanta looked at him solemnly. "She has gifted me with a vista no one else has ever seen, a second she will never see, and we will next see a third that will be shared by us both."

ProudWing smiled an open-beak smile at him. [The heart of the true Adventurer lies within the one named Nyanta, to name those as glorious gifts. Call for her and we shall see that third one together.]

Nyanta looked up at the tree mountain spread before them, gently sloping down from their high perch in the Yamato Tree of Life, the very tree that had given them the gold roses to make the rings to aid the divided Adventurers return to the Adventurer Tree of Life. As he drank in the sight he called to Purrcy to say they were ready. He looked up and watched as his wife ran along a branch as fast as she could and leaped off it into space. Her soft sphinx wings unfolded and caught the air and she soared outward until she caught an updraft and tipped her wings sufficient to rise with it.

Nyanta's heart soared with her, then ProudWing spread his wings and with a powerful downstroke lifted the two of them in the air. With great strokes, he also found the updraft and spiraled up it to soar in the air with Purrcy. Nyanta's eyes were all for his wife and the horizon behind her and the wings of the gryphon were his wings. Together they danced the air over the Ancient Forest of Eternal Sleep, gliding from updraft to updraft towards the southeast. The view from the back of a gryphon was always awe inspiring. This day it was etched.

Finally there came the time Purrcy began to tire. ProudWing glided under her, enough to help her begin to fall slowly. He kept just in front of and below her until she glided in to land on his back. She landed on his rump and immediately began to shrink, running as she went. Her wings shrank with her until they were gone and she was small house cat in Nyanta's arms. He held her to him and she put her cheek to his, purring.

[Where to, Nyanta?] ProudWing asked, his own calm pleasure and pride coming across.

"Home," he answered. Purrcy transformed into felinoid, dressed in the flying outfit from the day before. They flew in silence a long time, just being close together, remembering the joy of the flight and the view from the air.


	3. Returning Home to Akiba

Tetorō was lying on the couch. They'd had breakfast and he'd just finished wiping down the table and sweeping the floor. The Eagles were putting the rest of their chairs up, their tables already having been folded and set up against the far wall. A few were always assigned kitchen duty, now that there were that many more dishes to wash and put away. Meal time had become rather lively since they had come to be in the guild hall. The whole of it was very full, with some rooms now having even three people in them. He certainly wasn't lonely on the fourth floor any longer. While they were still the smallest guild on the Round Table Council, they were no longer the smallest guild in Akiba. He rather liked the busy noise...and being considered an "officer" of the guild now, instead of just a junior member of it.

He was also enjoying his day of vacation. The prior day had been very restful and he'd been able to just quietly enjoy the opportunity to play with his sub-skill magic, though he and Michael had been sure to be dutiful and work together some of the time as well. Michael had taken the time the day before to go and see what his squadron had been learning and check on their progress for himself. Tetorō was waiting for him now to arrive in the central room so they could begin their day's work together.

Suddenly he jerked upright, his hands holding him propped up, but not able to see anything. A bright light was flashing inside. He immediately opened the full guild chat. "Purrcy's coming!" he called. The room was still, then was suddenly a flurry of movement. He swung his feet down to the floor.

"You're sure?!" Shiroe said from his door, having flung it open.

"Yeah! I set a warning to go off if she got within range of the map. I'm blinded by it so it's got to be. Hang on while I turn it off." He waved a hand.

"She's just coming over the wall," Akatsuki said calmly, but even her voice held anticipation. She gave an exact location, but that was all that was necessary.

"The tree," Tetorō was up on his feet and almost running for the door. One of the squadron got it opened for him and he barely said thanks on his way out. Once he was out of the door, he was running full out. A level one hundred body was a joy to run in. It moved fast, smoothly, and didn't tire for a long time. Tetorō didn't usually have the need to run, but this morning was a great time to. He got the warning turned off, then watched the map as he ran, just to make sure she was headed to the tree she loved rather than the guild hall. Nyanta was on the map with her and they were together, and they'd come over the wall, from the north-northwest, so they had to be on ProudWing. Tetorō wondered if they'd go to the top of the tree or land on the ground.

Suddenly they were circling around. Tetorō stopped looking at the map, stopped running, and looked up, though he kept the map up to glance at every now and again. Above him in the sky was the circling gryphon, and it seemed to be rising, rather than coming down now. He felt rather confused. He looked down the long wide lane in front of him that led to the clearing the large silver-leaf tree was in. He was suddenly warm at his back as the others reached him, Shiroe first with Akatsuki, then Naotsugu, followed by the youngest, who were also now being called junior officers, and Michael. Behind them circled the Eagles.

As they watched, ProudWing circled higher and higher until he was rather small, then a smaller dot separated and began to fall. Tetorō's eyes widened. Wings sprouted to either side of it, and together the two began to circle back down towards the city again. There was a slight movement to his right as Shiroe put his hand on Akatsuki's shoulder to steady himself as he watched. Michael also shifted to brace himself with a slightly wider stance. He felt like he was holding himself from rising to join them. "God, she's beautiful to watch. And with a gryphon, too," Michael said reverently.

"That's her?" one from the back asked incredulously.

"Yup. That's the angel we follow," Michael said, still reverent. "I learned my wings from watching her fly. Never knew I could have my own until I saw hers." Tetorō could tell Michael was fighting tears again. He leaned over and bumped him, without taking his eyes off Purrcy himself. Michael swallowed and wiped at his face slightly, then gave up. Tetorō rolled his eyes internally, but left off.

Everyone waited silently, watching their guildmates circle lower and lower, gliding with the air currents. As they reached about building height, they aimed for the far end of the lane, turning into the end of it, Purrcy coming before ProudWing. The guild watched as she glided down towards the ground. She dipped rather precipitously to drop close to the road, then lifted again to glide closer to the ground. Now it was Tetorō who almost couldn't keep himself still. Michael's hand fell on his shoulder. "She'll have to run off some of that before you get close, or she'll bowl you over." Tetorō didn't shake off the hand, but he remained impatient.

Purrcy's feet barely touched the ground and she immediately began to run with the speed of her wings which began to fold back just a bit, though they flared in the far side of them, catching at the air like sails, a different way than she had landed before. Of course, she hadn't been up so high last time, either. They watched as her feet caught up to the proper speed, then held it, and then began to slow. As soon as Michael's hand released him, Tetorō was running towards her. He met her in a hug around her neck, taking the shock of her complete halt. He was rather grateful Michael had held him long enough for it to not be terrible for either one of them, then everything else was forgotten as he buried his head in her soft fur and listened to her purring for him.

There was a flutter of wings and ProudWing landed behind Purrcy, not having to only glide in himself. Footsteps passed them, then Shiroe was welcoming Nyanta and greeting ProudWing. As the others moved up as well, Touya finally put a hand on Tetorō's shoulder. "Come on, share. We've all been waiting."

Tetorō shook his head. Suddenly he was being attacked by a large rough tongue to his tender cheek. He pulled back, startled, then looked chagrined at Purrcy, who had a teasing look in her eyes. She gave him one more lick for good measure, then put a foot on his chest and pushed him over to stand on him. His eyes flew wide and he put up both hands. "No, no. I'll be good. I don't need a repeat of last time."

She grinned at him. "Glad you learned that lesson, then. The hair's nice. You decided to keep the name, I see."

Tetorō rolled his eyes. "I still can't change it yet."

She put her head down to his ear. "So you say." She let him up, blushing as he was, moving back to let the four junior officers pet her wings and give her hugs as well.

"It's enough to make one jealous, nyan," Nyanta said quietly from over Tetorō's head.

He looked up and grinned. "Even you have to share when she finally gets to come home." Nyanta nodded, his arms folded and his eyes on Purrcy.

Tetorō frowned slightly and jumped to his feet to face the felinoid and inspect him. "Wait. You're _still_ resisting?" Nyanta's eyes snapped to his. Tetorō slapped his hand to his forehead. "Are you sure that's really healthy? The wedding's not for another six and a half days, on the last of the three days of the Pumpkin Festival. Are you going to make it that long?" He was suddenly in a headlock. "Urk! Uncle! Uncle!" Nyanta dropped him. Tetorō glared at him, rubbing his neck. "Then you'll have to put up with her sleeping with the rest of us, you know."

Nyanta's tail was stiff, but his face was uncaring. "We'll wait," he said quietly. Shiroe put a hand on Nyanta's shoulder, and the look Tetorō saw on the guildmaster's face was one of sympathetic understanding.

Tetorō calmed down. There were extenuating circumstances that Shiroe knew about. He took a breath, looking between the two of them, then nodded. "Fine. But don't let it go to cold anger and grumpiness in the meantime. We'd really not like to repeat everything from last time."

Nyanta looked back at him, then relaxed just slightly and nodded. Tetorō looked at him a little bit longer, then turned to look back at Purrcy. She was getting pet by Akatsuki and giving cheek licks back, making Akatsuki blush. Tetorō grinned. Purrcy rubbed her head on Akatsuki's face, then turned to Naotsugu. She rose and put both front paws on his chest. He braced as she stared him down face to face. Tetorō blinked. She would have had to increase over her normal large size in order to do that. She asked him a quiet question and he nodded in response, then pet her head. She touched noses with him, the dropped back down to let him inspect her wings also, which he did briefly.

Michael was next. He bowed to her and she sat on her haunches and looked at him soberly. "Did the last two make it?" she asked him.

"Yes, Hahaue," he reassured her, gesturing at the Eagles. They immediately went from rest to parade attention. She rose and rubbed against his leg, then they walked together to inspect the squadron. She walked slowly, carefully inspecting each one, nodding when she'd seen what she wanted to see and then moving to the next one. A few she stopped in front of and her eyes, then theirs, went distant.

"What's she doing?" Isuzu asked, the rest of them having joined the three of them by ProudWing.

"Testing them. Those are the ones that have learned higher level Hacker skills," Tetorō explained. "She didn't test them when she tested the rest in the city. She tested their abilities to work together as a team then. It's a shorter subset of a test, but it looks useful, nonetheless." Shiroe nodded on his other side, and so did Akatsuki as if she knew anything about it. She just liked to be sure everyone was keeping up with their skill improvements.

When Purrcy was done with the inspection, she returned to be sitting in front of the squadron. "Very good. Keep up the hard work. I can tell you're all enjoying yourselves, which is wonderful. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Tetorō shuddered. "Ah, belay that. She's awful strict and super difficult." He got hit with a lobbed bomb for that, which he quickly deflected to explode in the next building over. It took out an old pipe in that building.

Purrcy snorted a laugh. "Even you are getting better, Apprentice," she said calmly as she walked back towards them. He grinned wryly at her. She arrived in front of Shiroe, then bowed low before him, one paw sweeping to her chest, her head bowing over it. "I'm home, Heika, as ordered, before the Pumpkin Festival. My internal tasks are properly completed and the proper patches have been placed. Task five is begun. Task four is well on it's way. Task three is nearly complete. Nyanta has also passed his tests sufficiently well. I'm afraid the only one still lacking is your task eight, the parts I'm involved in. I've been a bit too preoccupied until now."

Shiroe's look for her was tender. "Thank you, Purrcy," he said, then stepped towards her and put his hand on her head. "Thank you for also letting me see you in flight. I'd hoped to see that someday."

She rose from her sitting position and turned sideways to hold out her wing. "You're welcome to feel them, too. I based them off of owl wings, though the sphinx was my example."

Shiroe crouched down and lightly ran his hand down the wing, feeling their softness. He paused when he reached the end. He was looking down. Without really looking at her, he asked quietly, "Did you see it before, then? Or...was it actually you?" Those who had faced the sphinx in the Maze of Eternity stilled.

Purrcy gently took her wing back and slowly they disappeared. She looked at Shiroe, her face and body giving nothing away. "I wonder," she finally said gently, then rubbed her head on Shiroe's face and purred. She unbalanced him and he fell to sitting on the ground, then wrapped his own arms around her neck and held her. She sat purring for him patiently until he recovered, her tail slowly swishing in small arcs.

When Shiroe had released Purrcy and was holding Akatsuki for comfort instead, she turned to face the Eagles one more time. "If you can please wait, I would like to greet you each individually once we've returned to the guild hall. We should let ProudWing return to his mate. We've kept him all yesterday and until now." When she got nods, she turned and walked to Proud Wing. She transformed into felinoid as she reached him, dressed in nice but casual clothing. She wrapped her own arms around his neck and thanked him. Nyanta also thanked him and he bid them farewell and left them there. They all watched as he rose and left the city. Then Purrcy took Nyanta's arm and they all fell into their comfortable city walking pattern when they were together.

Because Tetorō was behind her, between Naotsugu and Michael, he saw as she looked around at everyone and back behind her, then around further to see where all of the Eagles had gone. Half were walking guard around the rest of the ring. The other half had gone into scout mode all around them, even though it wasn't necessary since there was no one living in this part of the city. They just kept to their patterns and habits as a matter of course. He could see her eyes sparkling and her smile in her whiskers. She opened her mouth wide, then smacked her lips a bit. "Well...really. It does - scream yakuza." Everyone smiled.

"Okay. You really need to tell me," Shiroe said in a casual order sort of way. "Does it bother you?"

She gave her standard pause, followed by the swing of the tail. "No, Guildmaster Shiroe," it was said just as humbly as all the other times, but with all the same overtones as well.

"So...why not?" He pierced her with his look.

She smiled back. She looked over her shoulder at Naotsugu and then up at Touya and pride was in her face, body, and voice. "Because it shows the strength and solidarity of the guild Log Horizon." Touya and Naotsugu both were taken aback, but Shiroe nodded and after a bit of thought, they did too. She looked at Rudy's back, a tender look on her face for him, but her voice was the coolness of the Queen. "Because it's my right and my proper due. You as a guild promised it from the beginning, that you would properly protect me." Rudy and the other juniors turned to look at her over their shoulders with wide eyes. She looked at all of them from her proud stance, but her eyes sparkled for them. Isuzu snorted a laugh with Touya while Minori giggled behind her hand. Rudy, on the other hand, nodded in agreement that it was entirely proper.

Purrcy looked at Isuzu, who stopped looking humored and looked just a little worried instead. Purrcy tipped her head and said casually, almost flippantly, "Because I like being the center of attention. I _am_ an American after all." She lifted her head proudly, almost stalking along now. They all laughed at that, and her tail and ears flipped happily. She looked to Minori next, who also looked back with wide eyes, not sure what she would get. Almost sadly Purrcy said, "Because I know full well I'm a danger to the city and need to be held back." Minori's eyes went a little wider and her breath caught, then she slumped, giving up, nodding a little nod. Purrcy glanced at Shiroe who also nodded a calm nod.

Purrcy then looked back over her shoulder at Michael and Tetorō, and her eyes narrowed and her ears cupped and she held on a little tighter to Nyanta. "Because - secretly - I'm an absolute otaku who finds the concept of the yakuza interesting and exciting. Getting to be a member of the Japanese mafia - it's _sooo_ cool!" Michael agreed with a smile, nodding, and Tetorō shook his head slowly at her, grinning. She grinned back. Purrcy then looked across Shiroe to Akatsuki. Akatsuki was startled to also be called out and listened with a sober expression. "Because I am an owned Summonable it is proper to show complete humility and obedience for my station and situation." The light went on for all of them as to why she always answered the question completely humble. Akatsuki in particular blinked, then almost glowed.

Purrcy then looked back at Shiroe and said, simply, "And...because at heart...I am a coward. It is comforting to stand here in the middle."

Nyanta almost fell down. Michael reached out and grabbed his outside elbow to help steady him. "Surely nyot!" Nyanta protested. She looked him in the eye and nodded soberly. Nyanta appealed to Shiroe.

Shiroe pushed up his glasses and smiled. "I resemble that myself." Nyanta blinked again in surprise, then shook his head.

They walked along quietly a little longer, nearly to the guild hall, when Tetorō had a thought. "So...you've said something for everyone but Nyanta. What's his?"

Purrcy looked back at Tetorō with wide eyes. "Well...I'm not sure I should say in public and mixed company."

Nyanta stopped her and made her turn to face him. His green eyes captured her gold ones and held them as his paw held her arm. The others stopped as well and turned to watch curiously. Nyanta's eyes narrowed and Purrcy began to just lightly tremble, her ears going back in concern. He stepped forward one step and then had to grab her with his other arm to keep her up. Tetorō wasn't sure if she was breathing rapidly or had stopped breathing. His own eyes went wide, then he slapped his hand over his eyes. "Stop, Nyanta-san. Not in front of the kids." He peeked through his fingers. Nyanta's attention had been turned to him. He sighed, somewhat in relief. "You do understand it, don't you?" he asked, putting his hand down again.

Nyanta put Purrcy back upright and on his arm again. As she recovered, he looked over his shoulder at Tetorō. "Of course," he answered archly.

Tetorō sighed. Michael busted up laughing. Naotsugu's face went deep scarlet and he looked away. Shiroe looked at all of them, then sighed and shook his head. Akatsuki looked up at him, not comprehending, but he didn't enlighten her. The four in front looked like they were trying to work it out. "Don't," Tetorō told them. "You really aren't old enough yet. Just don't."

"Really, Purrcy, really?" Michael was struggling to bring himself under control. "Being yakuza brings that out for you?"

She looked at him over her shoulder, blinking shyly, still not quite recovered. She opened her mouth, then shivered and turned back to looking forward. She held on to Nyanta's arm tightly, then took a deeper breath. She was quiet the rest of the walk back. "Really," Shiroe said quietly as he turned the handle on the door to open it and let her in, "that's a good thing, _I_ think."

Purrcy swallowed. Meekly she said, "Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe."

He smiled slightly and his sharp eyes were very Machiavelli for her. "Welcome home, Purrcy," he said.

"Thank you," she answered meekly, curtsied slightly, and entered the guild hall as if re-entering her gilded cage, the Princess returning home. Tetorō caught a faint sigh from her as they filed in after her and Nyanta. She was looking up at the open part of the central area which was two stories tall. She closed her eyes, and took a breath, and he remembered how difficult it had been for her to be in this place when she had been here before.

He felt slightly bad for her, but really. She did belong here and had made them all accept her as one of them. It wasn't possible for them to let her go any longer. If they were the yakuza, she really was the yakuza Princess, and all of those things rolled into one that kept her in the middle of them all was exactly what they also now wanted, each for those reasons the same. He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her middle, putting his head on her chest. "Welcome home, Hahaue," he said calmly. "Please stay with us a while this time."

Her hand settled lightly on top of his head. "You're a good boy, Tetorō. Thank you for working hard, and for staying with me, and with Nureha. I'm grateful." He felt the tears begin and he nodded. She held him while he finally cried the tears he'd been bottling up since two months before and he'd had to lock her into an earring of magical gold - a tiny prison far worse than this building.

When he'd recovered enough to sit next to Naotsugu and hold onto his arm instead of Purrcy (he was ever so grateful Naotsugu didn't mind it still - that he was still who he was inside), Purrcy turned to the twenty-three Eagles. One by one she greeted them. Each one received an individual greeting, some just a handshake and a few kind words. Some she gave hugs to and they cried like he had. Others didn't cry, but still wanted a brief hug and gave her thanks for freeing them, because it was her efforts in the main that had done so. A few she spoke at length to until they were comforted and strengthened.

Tetorō watched Nyanta and saw that he had the look on his face for her that was the same as he'd had when they worked in the kitchen those months before. Nyanta loved seeing this maternal side of his wife-to-be. At no other time did he have so much love in him as then. It wasn't too hard to understand. Everyone loved Purrcy when she was loving them with the soft love of a mother. There did seem to be something more to it for Nyanta, but then, he _was_ father. He was supposed to. Tetorō finally sighed and settled down. A big hand landed on his head and ruffled his hair. He scowled and looked up into Naotsugu's face. Naotsugu was smiling at him, a toothed smile, but it was also soft. Tetorō sighed. "Yeah, Big Brother. We're finally family again." He leaned his head on Naotsugu's shoulder.

Naotsugu patted him a few more times on the head and put his arm over the back of the couch again. He put his left ankle up on his right knee. "Now all we need is Marie to show up and yell at you for hanging on me like this again."

Purrcy walked to the door and opened it. Tetorō quickly released Naotsugu's arm and sat up a bit. Naotsugu glanced at him, wide eyed, then turned to look over his shoulder at the door. "Hey, Marie," he smiled at the person standing at the door, a hand frozen poised to knock. "Come on in. Purrcy's back."

Marielle slumped, her hand dropping. "Well, I guess that answers my question. We were wondering what would have called the entire guild out at once like that."

"Come in, dear," Purrcy said kindly. "It's your turn anyway."

Marielle shivered once, took a breath, then stepped over the threshold. Purrcy let her get into the room far enough that the people behind her could get in. Marielle was giving Naotsugu a pleading wide-eyed look. Naotsugu shook his head at her and she shivered and stopped to wait. Purrcy's arms went around Serera first. "It's good to see you looking so happy, Serera-chan," Purrcy said quietly.

Serera paused, then cautiously put her arms around Purrcy, very lightly. "Welcome home, Miss Purrcy."

"Thank you." Purrcy released her and turned her gently towards Nyanta. "I think someone's been missing you, too." Serera stiffened slightly, then looked at Nyanta who looked at her softly. She looked back at Purrcy and was given the same expression. Her eyes brightened with tears and she ran to Nyanta and wrapped her arms around his middle.

He put his arms around her in return. "We're home, Serera-chan." She just nodded, her tears preventing her from speaking.

Purrcy turned to Henrietta next, stepping up to face her calmly. She carefully read Henrietta's expressions, which went from forced politeness to fierceness to a submissive slump of surrender. Henrietta finally sighed and held out her arms without looking up. Purrcy calmly took her in an embrace. "Welcome home, Purrcy," Henrietta said almost sullenly.

Purrcy calmly pet her hair until Henrietta's trembling finally calmed down. The Machiavelli of Crescent Moon sighed and relaxed finally, then rubbed her head in Purrcy's fur. Purrcy patted her head a couple of times, then let her go. Henrietta blushed slightly, but let Purrcy go, clasping her hands before her tightly and lightly biting her lip. Every member of the Eagles was staring in disbelief, though they looked quickly away when she glanced their way.

Tetorō had to stifle a laugh and it turned into a cough. Naotsugu pounded Tetorō's back a few times to help him recover. The pain turned the laugh into something else and he slugged Naotsugu back and they had a bit of a tussle over it until Naotsugu held Tetorō down so he could watch the exchange between his fiancée and Hahaue. Tetorō respected that and held still.

Purrcy had walked up to stand before Marielle. She reached down and lifted Marielle's hand in her own and held it lightly. "Marie," she said softly. Marielle looked up into her eyes in surprise. It was the first time ever she'd been called by her nickname by Purrcy. "Have you been happy?"

Marielle blinked, then swallowed. She considered it carefully, then looked soberly at Purrcy. "Yes, Hahaue, I have been. I've also been very busy, so I keep forgetting sometimes, but yes. I'm very happy. It's a good life and there are good things waiting for me into the future. I'm looking forward to them all."

Purrcy wrapped her other arm around Marielle's shoulders and pulled her close. "Then I'm very glad," she said. "Thank you for being the light of Akiba and the love of Naotsugu. Please continue on your chosen path. May you always find the happiness you seek on it."

Marielle stood stiff in surprise for a moment, then her arms were both flung around Purrcy and she was squeezing her tightly. "Don't you never leave us again, Hahaue!" she scolded. "That was just too much!"

Purrcy stiffened in surprise, taking her turn, then she relaxed and patted Marielle's head. "Well...it wasn't my choice, you know. I did come back as soon as I could."

Marielle sniffed. "Still... Don't do it again." Purrcy smiled and continued to pet Marielle until she was ready to let go. Naotsugu grinned like a fool the whole time.

Tetorō rolled his eyes finally and looked over at Shiroe, who was sitting in his place with Akatsuki next to him, his arm around her as had become their usual way to sit together. Tetorō had wondered on occasion if it was Naotsugu's example that caused it. Shiroe was looking at the two women fondly. Tetorō caught his eye and raised an eyebrow. Shiroe nodded a simple nod.

Tetorō shifted to sit forward in his seat, clasping his hands together and resting his elbows on his knees. He looked around the room to catch everyone's attention he could and people started settling into chairs or on the floor or wherever they had become comfortable with. Adding Nyanta and Purrcy back in changed things a little again, but Purrcy went back to house cat and sat in Nyanta's lap, so that helped a little. That was comforting, too, to see Nyanta calmly petting her. Tetorō smiled, then looked back at Shiroe. "We're ready, Master Strategist. ...What's next?"

Shiroe pushed the glasses up on his nose and cleared his throat. He looked at everyone calmly. "We'll have our final wrap up meeting for the fourth floor, then we'll hear from Purrcy about what the fifth floor looks like." He looked back at Purrcy with a spark and a smile. "We already know it will be very busy."

She waved her tail happily and tipped her head. "Such smart children we have." They all grinned, though some also shook their heads. Tetorō leaned back against the back of the couch, clasped a knee in his hands, opened his mouth, and began his report.

-:-:-:-:-

The meeting went over lunch (handed around by Nyanta and Purrcy from their storage so no one had to get up and work in the kitchen while they talked) and into the afternoon. Shiroe had Purrcy go last as usual, but unusually, this time she said very little, saying she'd already said it, really, when she first arrived. She listened as closely, and as politely, as the rest of them as Shiroe listed off where they were headed and what irons were in the fire. She answered his questions as best she could, but didn't offer anything new. Finally Shiroe paused and looked at her, just a tad impatiently, or perhaps worriedly. "Really, Purrcy. Nothing?"

Purrcy rose to sitting formally on Nyanta's lap, her tail over her front feet. "Guildmaster, you've already set into motion many good things for what's coming. Until I've learned and seen with my own eyes what all of Akiba has done and how prepared they are, I don't know what can be next. Please find an appropriate time to introduce the C.E.O. of Venture Enterprises, who would like to tour all the facilities and branches of the Corporation of Akiba."

Shiroe stared at her, measuring her words. Marielle and Henrietta stared at Purrcy, blinking. They glanced at each other and pursed their lips - the universal sign of those of Log Horizon and those who worked with them that they'd just heard a secret they weren't ever going to let out without express permission. Finally Shiroe sighed. "Alright. That makes sense." He sat thinking for a moment, his finger curled at his chin. Looking over to Marielle, sitting tucked under Naotsugu's arm as always, he asked, "What day of the festival is the fashion show?"

Marielle sat up a little straighter. "We're holding it the first day, hoping to whet the appetite of the visitors from Minami."

Shiroe nodded. "Calasin - conference call." Purrcy blinked, then went down into a slightly more comfortable four legged sit, her head held upright and her ears perked forward.

It took a few seconds for Calasin to answer. "Shiroe?"

"Sorry to bother you when you're trying to get out of Minami. I thought you might be interested in knowing that the owner of Venture Enterprises has arrived in Akiba and will be here for the Pumpkin Festival. If you'd be interested in having her personally publicize her line during the fashion show, I might be able to persuade her."

There was silence, then "Purrcy's back?"

"Yes."

Cautiously, "You think she'd actually be willing to go public like that?"

Shiroe leaned back and a Machiavelli smile was on his lips. He adjusted his glasses. "My client has just requested to meet with the other guildmasters of Akiba. I think that would be a good way to introduce her, don't you think?"

"Ah, yes! Yes! I think being able to introduce the designer of H12b would be an excellent draw for that portion of the fashion show, and a good way to ease everyone into the idea. Umm...it would help if she had any new designs to add?" Calasin fished hopefully.

Purrcy sighed. "It will keep many people up all night and day without rest between now and then, and you have to say pending on all the models. I've not had the opportunity to put it properly together yet, since I only got back this morning. I anticipate using People of the Land for this next run, so even after the festival it might be a month before they arrive to you officially. For the pre-designs, I can't have them to you for at least another day, which is quite cutting it short..."

Shiroe leaned forward slightly. "What do you need to get them to him sooner?"

"To visit the Princess again." Purrcy blinked at him.

"We'll have you go there next," he said firmly. "Try to get the designs over to the sewing shop by tonight."

"They can go as late as you need," Calasin said smoothly. "They're already working around the clock. We'll just add them in."

"Very well," Purrcy replied calmly.

"We'll handle getting the word out," Henrietta pushed her glasses up on her face and pulled her pen out from over her ear to make a note on her clipboard.

"Thank you," Calasin said.

"Thank you, Calasin," Shiroe replied. "Safe journeys." He cut the connection. Everyone held their breath and watched Purrcy out of the corner of their eyes, but Purrcy didn't explode, nor did she weep or beg for clemency.

She did finally shake her head vigorously, as if to shake off a weight. "Surely, children," she said in almost a rebuke, "you don't believe I am _really_ that way. ...CEO, yes. Spoiled, no."

"Machiavelli, yes," Shiroe answered her back, calmly.

She tipped her head at him with a flick of an ear. "Which means I know how to properly stand strong in the place I should be when it's right and proper to do so."

Nyanta leaned down and whispered in her ear and her ears both went back as her head ducked. A small hiss even escaped her, surprising the rest of them, but in the next second she was relaxed again, a bit resigned. "Alright spoiled, yes, but not in _that_ way. I'm really far too practical for it." They all laughed. Her whiskers twitched. "It was fun to watch it, on occasion, however. Diva tantrums aren't something just anyone can get away with, after all. Nureha was very good at them."

Purrcy shook herself out. "So...if we're going to begin there...Henrietta, I'll leave drawing a crowd up to you. Marie, work with Tetorō on letting him know where and when I need to be. He'll be my full-time secretary from now on. Nyanta is my manager and Shiroe is the agent. All negotiations, etc., go through him. Tetorō, that means you need to contact Water Maple asap to schedule my visit. We want to go through the Princess' closet and not waste any more of her time than that. Work with Shiroe on the timing and scheduling of the tour of the facilities as well, and set those up. As part of the tour, we'll be including the fighting houses. I want to come see in person what they've all been up to and what the Eagles can do. Michael, I'll release you from duty in city to work up a demonstration with them properly, but it's your responsibility to see that the proper guard detail is in place for the fashion show. Tetorō make sure you've communicated with him on that scheduling."

Purrcy blinked at Shiroe, who blinked back. "I'd also like to tour the gate and hear what the Technicians and Hackers have figured out to date, and walk the shipyard."

Shiroe tipped his head. "Of course." His eyes sparkled at her. He was greatly enjoying getting to face her directly.

Henrietta cleared her throat. "Can we include a time for a meet and greet, or if there isn't time, for at least a signing after the fashion show?"

Purrcy wiggled her ears at Shiroe and they communicated by eyes only for a bit until Purrcy finally tipped her head. Shiroe looked back at Henrietta. "Handing out raffle tickets for a meet and greet that we can keep enclosed and highly protected would be acceptable. Hold it a few hours after her set in the afternoon."

"Have it hosted by West Wind Brigade," Purrcy added. "They may as well as our two guilds will be busy enough, I suspect." Henrietta nodded as she wrote her notes. "Make sure Shopping District 8 gets samples on mannequins set around the room as well." Purrcy's tail flipped. "I'm working up a proper entrance, now, Shiroe. Nyanta, we'll stop by Shopping District 8 on the way back from Water Maple. You'll need a proper outfit to match mine as my escort on the runway.

Tetorō narrowed his eyes at Purrcy. "Can you actually be trusted to pick out something good?"

Purrcy lifted her nose at him. "I was the one to pick out the men's outfits for the wedding. I only dress in strange colors when I'm feeling whimsical. This is business."

Tetorō relaxed and nodded, folding his arms. "I'll be with you anyway."

"Just so," Purrcy said calmly.

There had been whispers coming from the Eagles since Purrcy had mentioned wanting to see them and guard duty. Now Michael raised a finger and Shiroe raised an eyebrow in return. "How many do you want on watch over her in general?" Purrcy scowled slightly and the tip of her tail flipped. Nyanta pet her until she relented.

Shiroe considered it, then said, "Four. She'll already have Nyanta and Tetorō, so that will bring it up to the full party. In hiding is fine though, when in center town, perhaps two with and two out of obvious sight. Certainly at Water Maple today, she should have the two at all times. The other two can stand guard on the front door, formally. We may as well begin to set that a little more firmly from the beginning." Michael nodded and the Eagles finished their quiet conversation.

"As far as the rest of the schedule goes," Shiroe said, and everyone tensed just a little, wondering just how far _this_ Purrcy could be pushed, "The first day of the festival will be, then, your requirement to Shopping District 8 and Venture Enterprises. The second day is a joint meeting between the Round Table Council and the Ministry of Minami, followed by a joint press conference. I'll expect you at the meeting as my assistant. You won't need to be seen at the press conference, but I would like you nearby. That will be followed sometime thereafter by the graduation ceremony of the Akiba Adventurer Academy's first class. Marie will be in touch with you on those details as well." Shiroe looked at Tetorō who nodded, adding it to his notes he was already dutifully taking.

"The wedding will be the following late afternoon. Everything is prepared and the invitations have been sent. Most have been responded to. If there's time after the council meeting activities, we'll have the rehearsal that evening. If we must, we'll have it the following morning, though I understand that isn't ideal. We'll postpone holding the meeting with the Corporation Board and the tours until after our guests are gone. No one has time until then anyway." Shiroe paused and Purrcy held up a paw. He nodded at her.

"Might there be time for us to have the rehearsal before the festival, so that we don't have to slip it in while everyone is wanting to be focused on other things?" she asked calmly.

"There are two days before the train from Minami arrives," Shiroe said, and considered it. "Perhaps it could be fit into one of those days." His eyes went to Henrietta this time.

She flipped through the notes on her clipboard, then thought hard, a faint frown between her eyebrows. "Well, perhaps just before dinner tomorrow? It would pull us away from our work and remind us to eat at a reasonable hour, but not put as much stress on us as the last night to work at all would."

Shiroe nodded, and Purrcy gave a brief nod as well. It was penciled in by both her and Tetorō, and surreptitiously by a few others, notably Minori and Akatsuki, who had others in the guild to watch over. "I'll let Soujirou know," Akatsuki and Minori said simultaneously. They raised eyebrows at each other, then Akatsuki said, "I'd really like to." Minori bowed her head, releasing it to her.

Shiroe looked at her questioningly. "Is there a particular reason?"

Akatsuki clenched a hand slightly. "I would still like it if he and Purrcy could discuss the Mysteries. There hasn't been opportunity yet."

Shiroe blinked, then sat back and looked at Purrcy questioningly. "Are we ready to let the world be pushed to be more real at this time?"

Purrcy looked distant, her head cocked and an ear turned as if listening for the answer. "They are the teaching guild.... Perhaps even if not, we should be ready to experiment a little more and they can help with it? If you aren't ready, can they be trusted to keep it quiet?"

"Hmm," Shiroe considered a bit longer. "I'm not sure I'm ready to cave to the concept that we need to become natural and this world needs to be made real...but, ...I do have to admit that doing the next step ought to be reasonable, and I think they can be trusted. They also have a vested interest in helping us figure it out."

Michael raised his hand. "I've already explained natural learning to this lot and they've been practicing it. Reed and some of the others have had to field questions on the battlefield and some discussions have come out of it indicating the other fighting guilds already suspect it, or are even perhaps using it to some degree."

Purrcy nodded. "All the more reason to have them push through on the experiments, then, and get them prepared to teach the beast-halves what they need to know in addition."

Shiroe put his elbow on his knee and his chin in his hand. "Didn't you write that, Purrcy?"

She blinked at him. "Only a portion was copied by me from already created code." She scratched at her head with a hind leg. "Ah...how to say it...," her ears turned a few times. "When I was ordered to find a way to bring down Akiba, I went hunting. I found the code for how plagues work. It seemed sufficient to the task I'd been given so I copied it out and put it where the Plague Master could find it, after receiving approval from the Puppet Master. I can't say I'm pleased with what he did with it beyond that, but perhaps I'm glad we understood _that_ now rather than later."

Shiroe considered a bit more then finally nodded. "A secret meeting in my office, Akatsuki. We'll have us and him. Perhaps Nazuna, if you think she could handle being brought to face it directly again. Whenever he's got time, but not today or during the festival itself."

Akatsuki bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, Shiroe."

Shiroe nodded, then went into his head to review his line items. His face fell. "We're out of the food you made for us before you left, with this many more mouths to feed - though we don't mind it. Minori and the others have been doing their best to cook and more than one of the squadron has joined in and picked up a fair number of levels in cooking, but...," he appealed to both Nyanta and Purrcy.

Purrcy's ear twisted back to Nyanta. "It's possible," Nyanta said quietly, "that between us, we have enough remaining for dinner tonight, but neither of us will have much time to make a wholly new dinner tonight. Tomorrow, we should be able to begin cooking again." Purrcy nodded agreement.

"Even that would be sufficient," Shiroe said humbly.

"Then, we'll call everyone when we've returned from our errands and it's ready," Nyanta replied. The others relaxed somewhat. They were very much looking forward to having the two chefs back in-house.

"Ah!" Marielle raised her hand suddenly.

"Yes?" Shiroe asked politely.

"Can we have another joint barbecue tomorrow night? Maybe after the rehearsal? This time, we can use the grill we built. Everyone's been bringing home extra meat and other foods in preparation for it."

Henrietta frowned. "We shouldn't be wasting time partying just before the festival, Marie," she scolded.

"Well," Marielle insisted, "we have to eat something sometime, and everyone has been working hard. If we let them know they can have a reward, won't they work all the harder in the last push?" She was looked at suspiciously by many in the room. She worked hard to maintain an innocent and eager expression.

"Miss Purrcy and Nyanta-san are going to be very busy before then," Serera spoke up and then blushed as everyone's focus and attention turned to her. "I would be happy to work with the chefs of Crescent Moon to see that the meal is ready by the end of the rehearsal."

Purrcy raised an eyebrow of whiskers. "That is very kind of you Serera, and Marie." She blinked, then looked at Shiroe.

Shiroe sighed and looked apologetically at Henrietta. "I wouldn't mind it," he said, almost in a timid plea.

Henrietta looked at all of those arrayed against her, then sagged with a sigh. "Very well. Serera, if you'll head the project, I'll leave it in your hands."

Serera smiled brightly. "Thank you, Miss Henrietta. You can count on me!"

"But _no_ slacking off the next day. It's our last day to have everything ready," Henrietta was firm on this point. Everyone agreed, though it wasn't their own guild they were resigning to said fate, except Marielle's. Though, for the most part they did intend to help as much as possible on that day as well to have Akiba prepared to receive the Adventurers and visitors from Minami.


	4. Busy from the Start

Nyanta, Purrcy, and Tetorō left Log Horizon's guild hall with four guards from the Eagles. When asked how they'd decided to choose who would come, they all gave quick grins. "Division. You've got the Administration detail today, since you're going to see the Princess," Brenner answered in his soft voice.

Tetorō raised an eyebrow. "That sounds useful. Who's what?"

"I'm the chaplain and surgeon," Brenner answered. He pointed to the others in turn. "H/R, P/R and Legal, and Administrative Secretary."

Purrcy put all her attention on Brenner. "Surgeon?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered politely.

"Mmm, we'll have to compare notes. I might steal you away as my assistant on occasion." Purrcy considered the rest. "Secretary, you might make sure Tetorō knows what he's doing. Fine details are a bit hard to learn on your own. Maybe I'll have you come inside. P/R should come inside, too. You'll need to know how to get along with the Princess and her people anyway." She grinned at him slightly. "But then, that's why you came along." His eyes sparkled as he nodded back. She considered a bit more as they walked. "I'd take the other two of you inside, too, since you've got the qualifications to nose about with the servants, collecting information from them...but Shiroe wants you on the door making a visible presence." She rubbed an ear. "Well. I don't now how formal we have to be. I'd be okay with you talking to them if they want to talk to you...but not fraternize, if you know what I mean."

"It's purrobably best to be formal this time, nyan," Nyanta said calmly. "Once the understanding is set, then in later visits, when mew come in less formal circumstances, they can be allowed to relax in the kitchen with the staff, so to speak."

"Mm. Speaking of which, is it better to go as the Queen in a dress or as the CEO in the formal business suit today? I'll be being both, of course, but it's Adventurer to be dressed as the latter, not Person of the Land."

Tetorō and Nyanta both considered it. "CEO," they both said at the same time. Purrcy nodded and was suddenly in the business suit she wore to the press conference with the guildmasters after the Hacker demonstration. In her case, it was actually a pants suit, sharply tailored in a light gold color this time with a forest green blouse underneath that complemented her slim figure nicely. She also added a few pieces of exquisite jewelry - a gold choker with a large emerald fit into it and emerald earrings and a ring to match.

Tetorō whistled. "Where'd you get the gems?"

"Dragon," she said shortly. "An old one. The younger ones don't have stuff this nice, or at least not enough they'll part with it. Have to still show Queen status, even in a suit. I'll put them away after we leave. I won't need them once we're headed for Shopping District 8." She looked at her guards again. They were all suddenly in their best fighting gear. "Good job, you learn quickly," she complimented them. "But that won't work when we go casually. Show me your best that isn't fighting clothing." They complied. P/R was smart looking. He'd already picked up things for his role. The other three weren't too far off. She nodded and they switched back again. "I think...we need to get a uniform for the lot of you, though." She mused on that for a bit, then sighed. "And before the wedding."

Tetorō grimaced. "It isn't really possible, Purrcy," he said. "You're already going to have the tailors working on the clothing for the fashion show, and they're swamped from all the other things they're putting together."

Purrcy looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Apprentice. Since when is anything impossible for me?"

Tetorō stared at her, then shook his head. "No, really."

She blinked. "Copy, paste."

Tetorō froze momentarily. "No, really." Now it was said sarcastically.

Her whiskers turned up on one side. She stayed silent for about five minutes, then said, "Watch. It's done this way." Tetorō blinked then nodded he was ready. "You four, put on your most comfortable clothing that you don't mind standing around in, but will still remind you you're on duty." After a bit of thought, they all had on various casual clothing items. Purrcy made them all stop, then looked at Brenner closely.

His clothing changed to look like a smart uniform in black with gold trim. On his waist hung a thin gold sword. He blinked in surprise at what he saw. "It doesn't feel any different."

"It isn't. It just looks different," she told him. She glanced at Tetorō. He nodded again. She waved her hand and the other three were dressed exactly the same.

"Ooohh. Okay. I get it," Tetorō said.

"So, here's the template. Make sure they're all wearing it for the wedding. We'll have the tailors make them after the festival is done so they can wear them when they need to. For the fashion show, it might come down to this method as well." She got them walking again. Tetorō cast a small HP-up spell on her. The first one had cost her.

The journey from the Log Horizon guild hall to Water Maple Manor was all taken by back lanes as both were set out from the main part of the city, so they didn't pass too many other people on the way. They only considered that convenient, having mostly empty ruins looking at them with empty windows for eyes. The guards kept their eyes peeled on those surroundings, and most likely their local maps as well, but nothing much else happened on that walk. As they approached the door to Water Maple, a butler was waiting outside the door already. He bowed to them and opened the door for them. They stepped inside and he escorted them to the receiving room. The two guards assigned to watch the door stayed outside, formally on either side of the door, making the butler even more formal himself.

This time, because she wasn't here to stay long, Purrcy sat perched on the edge of the chair she chose. Nyanta and Tetorō stood behind her. The other guards took up positions outside the door to the receiving room. As soon as Princess Raynessia entered the room, Purrcy stood and walked to greet her, taking both hands in her own and kissing her on each cheek in greeting. "Princess Raynessia. It is good to see you again. Thank you for agreeing to see me on short notice."

Raynessia curtsied to her, blushing slightly at the greeting given. "It's good to have you visit again, Lady Purrcy."

"I'm sorry it must be a business trip," Purrcy said firmly. "Calasin has asked me to provide a number of last minute designs to be shown off during the fashion show at the festival. If you remember from my last visit, I was going to have the next line be based off the designs of your clothing, or rather, that of the tailors who have made your clothing. I won't have time to go and visit them until after, so I was hopeful that you'd be willing to show me what we didn't have time to look at last time."

"Yes, please, come this way," Raynessia said kindly. "Elissa has already set them out. If you like any in particular, we'd be happy to contact the tailors and arrange for you to come visit them here, if you'd like."

"That would be very helpful, I'm sure," Purrcy said politely, following Raynessia out of the receiving room.

As they passed through the sitting room, Raynessia glanced at Nyanta, a slightly worried look on her face. Purrcy paused, dropping her hand to the back of the couch they were passing. "Perhaps, Princess Raynessia, you could have Elissa and the maids bring them out here? I'm sure we don't need to be invading your personal rooms today."

Raynessia looked back at the two guards also still following, and let her eyes linger on Tetorō, who was now so obviously male. She curtsied just a little. "I would be happy to oblige, Lady Purrcy, if that is sufficient for you."

Purrcy put herself on the couch as Raynessia walked to a maid standing at the door and gave her instructions. She returned to sit across from Purrcy, her hands clasped in her lap. Another maid appeared to pour tea. The guards moved to take up positions on the wall where they could get to Purrcy quickly if she needed defending. Tetorō stood behind her again as he had when they were there before. Nyanta paused just a moment, then took the chair at the end of the low table between the couches in the seat where Raynessia had sat at Purrcy's first visit. "Princess Raynessia, have you had the opportunity to meet my fiancée, Lord Nyanta?" Purrcy asked once he was seated.

Raynessia tipped her head at him. "A few times in passing," she answered. "It's a pleasure to greet you again."

Nyanta bowed while seated. "The pleasure is myine."

"We became quite distracted last time," Purrcy commented, "but perhaps you might remember that Marielle's original intent in coming was so I could try on your dresses to see what might work for a wedding dress. That particular matter has been taken care of now, as I'm sure you remember. The wedding has been scheduled for the the last day of the festival. I presume you received the invitation?"

Raynessia's eyes lit up, "Ah, yes! I have. I've already sent the acceptance on."

Purrcy nodded. "Guildmaster Shiroe said that most have been received now. I'm afraid the guild has had to bear the brunt of the planning these last several months that I was called away on business. I just arrived this morning, so I have yet to see the guest list. I'm glad to know that they made sure you were invited, since we had already talked about it."

"I'm very much looking forward to it," Raynessia said. "All of us have been looking forward to getting together with you that day to help ready you for it."

Purrcy relaxed back into the couch and smiled. Raynessia almost fainted in relief. "I'm glad that you who are willing to call me friend are also trying your hardest. I'm sure I wouldn't have the faintest idea how to approach that particular aspect of the wedding. Rather, I'm not very good at putting myself together."

"Oh, no. You are always well put together," Raynessia protested. "Even today you are very beautiful."

"Thank you," Purrcy said modestly. "It's very helpful to have others who can offer advice and help me prepare appropriately. I'm sure you understand how relieving it is to not have to worry about such details oneself." She smiled and her eyes sparkled. Raynessia blushed lightly, but she timidly smiled back, knowing from before that Purrcy was teasing her. They agreed in such things. "I look forward to seeing what you've picked out to wear for the festival," Purrcy added, then paused as if a sudden idea had come to her.

"I'm sure it would be an imposition, Raynessia, but would it be possible to ask you to wear a few of the dress designs for the non-beast-half part of the fashion show? My designs are initially targeted to beast-halves, but Calasin regularly modifies them for the non-tailed versions. Since they are based on the Princess designs, to actually have the Princess model them would sell them quite well, I would think. You may rest assured I won't have you in anything you would feel uncomfortable in - after all, they're already what you're used to wearing." Purrcy looked hopefully at her hostess.

"Ah, well...Marielle has already asked me, of course," Raynessia seemed to wilt just a little.

"Of course she has," Purrcy said in sympathy. "Well, then, if you knew that my designs were what you were going to wear, would that perhaps make it a little easier?"

Raynessia looked up in a little surprise, tilted her head in thought, then finally said, "While I don't like my own dresses, as you well know, at least that would be of some comfort. Typically Marie has me wearing clothes very difficult for one such as I to wear, though I don't know what she's planning this time, of course."

Purrcy waved her hand as a bevy of maids finally arrived. "I'll take care of that part, if you'll say you'll do it."

"Of course, Lady Purrcy," Raynessia accepted politely.

"Thank you." Purrcy turned to look at the maids. Elissa had dressed them in the dresses and they were waiting in a line for Purrcy's will. She motioned for the first one to come near to the table. A butler moved to remove the chair opposite Nyanta's chair so that the maid could stand at that end. Purrcy looked at it closely from the front, then had the maid turn slowly. She stopped her when the back was exposed, studied that, then had her turn again. When Purrcy was done inspecting the dress, she had her stand to the side and called for the next maid.

At the completion of looking carefully at each dress, and sorting the maids into two groups, Purrcy sent one of the groups back to change again. She rose and went to the other group of maids and, apologizing for her familiarity, looked more closely at the dresses, including picking up the hems of some of them and otherwise touching them to understand their construction a little bit better. When she was done, she turned back to Raynessia. "Can you sort these by tailor for me?" she asked.

Raynessia nodded, but it was Elissa who did the sorting. There were two groups that contained most of the dresses, but also one that was singular. "If you could call these two tailors to come to visit me, I would be grateful," Purrcy asked, then pointed to the remaining one. "Who is it that did this?"

"It's a young seamstress who sent it as a gift in the hopes that it might draw business to her, I suppose," Raynessia said with a slight frown.

"Excellent. Call that one as well. I may be able to hire that one on myself. With a little training, we might be able to get a real dress that is finally comfortable enough, even for you, Princess." Purrcy's look was one of satisfied triumph. She dismissed the remaining maids and returned to the couch, but didn't sit down. She looked at Raynessia. "I'm afraid that I need to leave without staying for further pleasantries. Please let everyone know that for now Shiroe has me quite busy with requirements. I'm afraid I'll have to greet everyone the morning of the wedding." Nyanta stood, setting his teacup down on the table.

Raynessia also rose and walked with them to see them out the door. "Thank you for coming Lady Purrcy, Lord Nyanta," she bowed her head slightly.

"Thank you for letting us impose," Purrcy said kindly, and they were gone. Raynessia slumped against the wall for just a moment, then pushed herself up and wove her way to the sitting room to slump on the couch. While she was worn out, she was somehow also relieved. Purrcy had been much easier to hostess by herself, and everyone with her behaved in ways Raynessia understood. It hadn't been anywhere near as confusing a visit as her usual ones with Adventurers.

She sighed and closed her eyes. Faintly her heart reached for one Adventurer she couldn't believe she still wanted to see. He was certainly the most difficult one to deal with. But, like Purrcy, he at least behaved like a noble towards others, even if not towards her necessarily. She wondered if he was ever going to come back. It had been over a year now. She sighed again and set the thoughts aside. Not thinking was much more pleasant.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy sighed and put away the jewelry. "Would it be better to walk through town like this, or shall I hide as kitten in public for now?" she asked. "I would rather do the latter so I can work on the designs while they're still fresh in my head."

Nyanta paused, pulling her to him. While he held her, she transformed to cat, resting against his chest, then went little. He held her curled up in the crook of his arm, where she was such a small black spot she was not really noticeable at all.

"Well, that's a better way to carry her than I did," Tetorō said with a wry grimace. "I couldn't do it that way now, though." He looked away as they walked casually towards the center market district. "I did try to think of other ways. It was my preference to keep my hands free. I thought a bag might work, except if it got stolen and she woke up grumpy we might have too large a problem on our hands." Nyanta was quite in agreement. Tetorō grinned at him. "If she wasn't grumpy, she'd reform the thief and they'd live the rest of their lives grateful they'd done it, as well as atoning for that and all other sins. Or so I figure."

Nyanta gave a wry smile to that. "Purrobably. It is hard to nyot take her scoldings to heart."

"Oh? Has she scolded you?" Tetorō asked.

"Mm, nyan, nyot so much. More like in how she lives her life, everyday I'm being pushed."

Tetorō nodded. "That's understandable." He called up a chat. "MarketMaker, we're on our way. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. ...Yup. You're welcome. See you soon." He called up another. "Shiroe, just done at Water Maple and headed for Shopping District 8. It went very well. A calm visit. She's asked the Princess to model the same clothing for the non-beast-half part of the fashion show, preempting whatever Marie wanted her to wear, thus saving the sensibilities of the Princess, and she's agreed. Purrcy's already at work. Also, she's chosen a uniform for the guards. I'm to make sure they're properly dressed in it for the wedding, but she'll get the tailors working on it after the festival. That's a new spell she's taught me - Copy-Paste. ...Yeah, it works for visual, too. Interesting, huh? It's based on the tag change she showed us first, way back when, for now until the real things can be made."

Shiroe was suddenly hovering in the air in front of them in a small window. He inspected the guards closely, then nodded. "That'll do. She does have good design sense. Are the swords real?"

The guards shook their heads. "At best props, but we can't draw them. If we got in a fight, we'd pull our own weapons out."

Shiroe frowned. "Then how's she going to handle that when it comes to the real part?"

A little kitten head popped up from the crook of Nyanta's arm. "The blacksmiths can have them done without too much trouble. They're based on the same design my knives are. They are so used to making those, these should be easy. We can stop by there, too."

"You're going to break my bank again, Purrcy," Shiroe scolded.

"Not really. You should know that by now, Shiroe. I'll negotiate for the uniforms based on the increased income from the new line, and the blacksmiths have been waiting for the next thing for a while now. I suspect they aren't too busy right now. As a matter of fact, if we slip in there first, they can get started right now. We might be able to have them by the wedding." Purrcy was moving fast as usual. Shiroe waved a hand in silent approval and disappeared.

The grouping turned at the next corner, modifying their direction slightly. "MarketMaker, we've had to make a detour. It shouldn't take long, though. ...'Kay." Tetorō put his hands behind his head. "You know...they haven't fought yet. It's rather nice."

"They don't have to for apurrances sake any more," Nyanta said, though he sounded just as pleased.

They arrived at the Marine Organization blacksmithy a short time later. Tetorō lead them to the section that had come over from Grandale. Before they got really noticed, Nyanta motioned to the others to surround him and he put the kitten on the floor. When he was out of the way sufficiently, Purrcy transformed back, still in her business suit. The men moved again to let her through and she walked over to a specific blacksmith. All of them who saw her stopped swinging hammers and working their bellows until that whole section was gathered around her, greeting her heartily. She greeted them, just as happy to see them.

"I don't know what your workload is, but I've rather suddenly come into a need for thirty swords and four daggers. I need them ready by the middle of the third day of the festival." The blacksmiths blinked but waited. She turned and waved at the guards. "They need to look like that when completed. Hang on and I'll pull out a prototype." She closed her eyes and held out her hands palm up. After a bit a long narrow sword appeared. It was similar to a katana in thinness, but was slightly curved. "It's based more on the curved blade of Europe that appeared for more formal situation after guns were invented, but I'd like the blades constructed in a similar manner to the scalpels. The knives should be long and narrow as well, but don't need to be curved. They're meant for ladies who know how to fight, but don't necessarily know the sword."

"The gold color is important, since they're formal uniform blades and scabbards. They need to not break if they have to be really used, though. I'm not looking for cheap imitations. Use the same spell as I gave you for the scalpels, but add a thick wrapper to it since these are larger. If you need an ingredient to make them magic swords, let me know. I'd like that bonus on them."

"If you've got more dragon scale, that works best. It keeps them strong and adds the magic component," the head blacksmith said.

Purrcy "put" a box on the floor in front of them. "Make mine at least plus five. Any you make to sell after that, no more than plus three. Also make mine to resist magic."

The head blacksmith rubbed his chin. "The dragon scale will help with that, but we might need one more ingredient."

Purrcy rubbed her head, one ear flicking, then a stoppered urn, about four gallons in size, appeared in front of her. "Quench the blades in that," she ordered. "Intend for a permanent coating of magic resistance of a specific level. The higher the level, the faster you'll use it up. Considering how many blades I want, it might have to be just an additional plus three to whatever you can get from the dragon scale. If you'll show me the base material, I'll set the flavor text now so it's easier for the form to flow."

The head blacksmith turned to several of the journeymen. "Go get the mithril." Tetorō and Nyanta both raised eyebrows. That wasn't an easy metal to come by. To make thirty-four blades out of it would be normally a very expensive proposition. Three boxes were brought back.

Purrcy held her hands out over them and they glowed for a few seconds. "Make the chains to hold the blades to the belts and the scabbards out of the same material, with an added bonus of 'can't ever lose' so they can't be pilfered." Another box appeared next to the three already in place and it glowed as well. A smaller box appeared on top of it. "Add that to those. It will help with the bonuses I'm looking for."

"Mmm...for those to be added in...we might not get it done by then," the head blacksmith shook his head.

Purrcy turned around and looked at the rest of the large shop. "What are they doing? The chains can be done by apprentices, as you well know. As soon as the plate is made, a journeyman can form the scabbards."

"What will you pay them?" the head blacksmith asked, his look going shrewd.

Purrcy gave him a _look_. "You'll pay them in knowledge. I'm sure they've already gotten grumpy with the fact you guys can get your work done in a fraction of the time they can."

The head blacksmith's face fell a bit. It was obvious he wasn't quite ready to give up that secret. Purrcy folded her arms. "BigMusclesBill, I know you love having your secrets as much as any blacksmithing guild would, but I need everyone going at that speed before we leave again. This next time we're going overseas and so is all the product. I need to have the whole place working on metal-bound and reinforced trunks to carry the product in so it can survive a bandit or pirate attack and come through not only unscathed, but unstolen. You'll use the same spell on those as on the sheaths and chains, but it will take this whole shop to make enough of them for the caravan in the short amount of time we have between the end of the festival and when we go. Teach it. You guys can't do it on your own anymore, as much as I love you all. Please don't try to carry all of Akiba on your backs alone. Let them help you."

BigMusclesBill rubbed his hand on the back of his head, looking at Purrcy unhappily. Finally he sighed. "Fine. But you still have to come to us first with new products and ideas."

"Done," she said with a firm nod. "I would anyway, you know." He held out his large calloused hand and she shook it firmly. "Thank you," she said, looking at him in the eye, then at the rest of them. "Deliver the final products to Log Horizon's guild hall." She got a nod and she turned her group away to walk out. When they were out from where eyes could see, she was tucked in Nyanta's arm again and Tetorō was casting a healing spell on her.

-:-:-:-:-

This time they made it to Shopping District 8 without interruption, though a few people greeted them on the street. "Well, all the guilds are going to know at least you're back," Tetorō said to Nyanta. "We've finally passed the last of the spies. It's awfully hard to not get through that gauntlet." The guards looked at him with interest. "This is my zone to work for information gathering," Tetorō explained, "so I know all of them and they all know me. Normally they would have stopped me to ask questions, but since we're on business they left us alone, except to see if we might be convinced to mix a bit of casual in. That wasn't prudent today." The guards nodded understanding.

They walked into Shopping District 8, nodded at the front clerk and kept going. It was just almost habit now. As soon as the door between the shop and the warehouse was closed, Purrcy was standing next to Nyanta, her arm around him and his around her, though he blinked in a little surprise that it was so. The assistant over sales was walking quickly over to them. "Thank you for coming to visit Shopping District 8," MarketMaker said with a polite bow.

"I've got the prototype designs ready," Purrcy said without preamble. "Then we need to visit my section briefly."

"Very well, this way, please," MarketMaker turned and led them a new direction and out a side door, across a narrow alley, and into a new building. It was open and very noisy with sewing stations set in rows in a space as large as the entire warehouse of Shopping District 8. It wasn't all sewing station, though, since there were also shelves for holding supplies, such as fabrics, materials, thread, notions, and tools of the trade. There was also a snack and beverage bar tucked away in one corner.

MarketMaker gave a whistle and the room quieted down. "Purrcy's here. Who's open enough to take her stuff?" Most hands went up. "Yeah, right," he said, disbelieving.

Purrcy put her hand on his arm, then stepped forward. "I don't want perfection this run. Just enough to keep it on the model's body while walking down the runway, and so that if it's looked at on the mannequin they get the general idea. These are prototypes. I may change them as we get into full production. We'll go to full production after the festival. I do need a set for beast-halves, and another set for non-beast halves. Princess Raynessia will model those; I'm sure you already have her measurements. I'll be watching the runway just as closely as everyone else to see if they worked. Don't slack off on the stuff that's supposed to sell just to get these done. If corners need to be cut, cut them on mine this time."

Purrcy began to walk the desks. Every so often she would leave behind the design - a floating three-dimensional image of the dress she wanted on a form so the lengths of skirts and such things could be understood. When she was done with dresses, she kept going until there were almost as many male formal outfits as well. "Again, comfort is paramount in the final run. Try to get close this time so there's less work next time." She stopped at one particular section and conversed for a time on a different project, then returned to Nyanta at the front of the warehouse. "Thank you everyone. Good luck!" She waved and got waves back, though most people were back to work already.

"Is there a new hole spell?" MarketMaker asked before they walked out.

Purrcy shook her head. "No. That last one seems to work fine. Have you had any complaints?"

"Not really," MarketMaker shook his head.

"Then we'll let it stand for now. If anyone does have any suggestions, get with me and I'll see what I can do." Purrcy offered.

They went to H12b next and Purrcy quickly walked down the section until she pulled out a rack. She scanned it and pulled out a particular femfelinoid outfit and handed it to MarketMaker. Then she moved to the male section and pulled out several racks, hunting, until she found three outfits. She gave them to MarketMaker as well. Then she looked at him with her negotiator's look on her face and he braced himself.

"Calasin didn't include the non-beast-half line in my contract he made with Shiroe. I want these," she pointed to the outfits in his arms, "under the original agreement, but I need thirty-two of these outfits, one of them a skirt version, as soon as you're done with the sewing for the fashion show." She pointed at the guards. "Until Calasin arrives to renegotiate, that contract is still open ended, so they'll be no charge to me, also under that same agreement that anything I want until the contract is completed is mine for the asking."

MarketMaker's face fell, and his shoulders slumped. "I did warn him it would come back to haunt him."

"Well...we'll see how long he lets it continue for. Maybe he likes it this way," Purrcy shrugged. She held out her hand and a model of the uniform appeared in her hand. "I've got the swords, scabbards, and chains taken care of already. When you're ready for this project to begin, let the lads and ladies have this." The image disappeared into a small box that MarketMaker took from her. Tetorō took the four outfits from MarketMaker, who winced to see them go. "Thank you for letting me interrupt," Purrcy said politely.

MarketMaker bowed to them. "Thank you for doing business with Shopping District 8." He sighed as they turned and walked out. Log Horizon was such a difficult and demanding guild, but what they left behind them was always too good to complain. He would definitely have to scold Calasin, though...or just let the leak continue as a punishment to him. Maybe he'd just keep a tally for now so he could train Calasin properly later. It was really a first to have comfortable almost casual clothing based on the princess and prince looks. It should sell fairly well. Particularly with Purrcy herself selling it and Princess Raynessia supporting the effort.

He carefully tucked away the model of the uniform where it wouldn't get lost and made a reminder to himself to see they were started properly on time. They would be a good addition to that line as well. Royalty needed royal guards after all. ...Hmm...and then maybe they could sell them to the nobles of the People of the Land as well...that would add more to their coffers, too.... He sighed. Purrcy had known what she was doing - again. Maybe she was right. Maybe Calasin did want the leak on purpose. It might be his incentive to her to keep bringing them new ideas and more profits. She hadn't really asked for much more in payment than the percentages of the other contract, and perhaps even less. Yes, for now he'd only keep a tally.

-:-:-:-:-

This time, Purrcy stayed on Nyanta's arm. "Can we have a date?" she asked him, blinking calmly.

"Ah," his whiskers and tail twitched, "I would think a small visit to a café would be acceptable, on the way."

Tetorō looked at them. "Should I continue on, then, with the purchases?"

"After we've passed through the gauntlet again," Nyanta said firmly. "Otherwise mew'll get swamped with requests."

"True," Tetorō agreed. "Especially if she's on your arm back through the market."

"Just say you lot were fetching me from outside the gate," Purrcy said calmly. "That's what usually happens when I get back, after all. Why wouldn't Nyanta and I want a quiet date at our first meeting again? Really everything to now has been rather normal as well. It's just new guilds I've visited the same as the old because they were all reset since last time I got back." It made sense. Tetorō left them at Nyanta's chosen café, after making sure Purrcy was back up to full HP. He really didn't know how she did it before he was around. She created magic spells as if they were simple things to just throw around.

The city was really coming together for the festival, with most of the market stands up and nearing ready now. Everyone had gotten an early start for it this time, probably out of a sense of urgency since Minami would be coming. Boxes of street decorations were being set out now by the construction crews. By the next day almost all hands would be working on putting them up and around the streets of the main market part of town.

Tetorō hoped it would be an uneventful festival, other than all the planned events. He kept his ear out for conversations and his eye out for furtive folks, though. They'd already lived through the first festival being nearly sabotaged and several others being stirred up in ways they didn't need. He passed Touya, Naotsugu, Minori, and Serera hard at work. They gave him thumbs-up and he smiled at that. Nothing to say there was going to be underhanded works just yet, then. It was the same when he passed Isuzu and Rudy, who were more actively doing intelligence gathering work this afternoon.

Of course, once he was walking on his own back home he wasn't going to get by untapped. Rieze and Nazuna both caught up to him, one on either side, boxing him in. "So...what's going on?" Rieze asked smoothly, fingering her sword as if that kind of threat would work on him.

"Did you stop by Water Maple already?" he asked back, looking at them from the corners of his eyes and not slowing down. They looked at him impatiently. "Nyanta got back this morning. We just picked up Purrcy at the gate like normal and took her to her usual stops. She and Nyanta have about a half-hour reprieve, but Shiroe put her to work as soon as she was on her way, so they're super busy. I'm afraid it's wait until the morning of the wedding to get to visit with her until after everyone goes home and the streets are swept. You know how it gets at festival time. It's no different for them."

"Is there going to be time for us to take her out to actually enjoy the festival?" Nazuna complained.

"Mmm," Tetorō ran through the schedule in his head. They were asking the right person for once. "She's got evenings free the first two days. You already know the third day's full up. The first night might be best. By the second we'll need to put her to bed early so she doesn't explode on her wedding day."

Rieze sighed. "Only evenings, eh? Shiroe really is the task master, isn't he?"

"Well, she carries some of the blame, I suppose," Tetorō admitted, "but he is rather relentless."

"Well," Nazuna said, "we can schedule the festival activities to be the first evening then. She should be allowed to enjoy it like the rest of us at least a portion of the time."

Tetorō wondered just how much of the other activities that were planned for her she would enjoy regardless, and how much they would be like business. Most of her seemed to be business, actually, except when she was being Hahaue in the kitchen. Even that was being held back right now. They were likely to wear her out early. He nodded. "I think taking some time to relax would be good for her. She isn't likely to get much of that at home, either, before then."

"Is he even going to let them have a honeymoon?" Rieze pierced Tetorō with a glare meant for the Machiavelli.

Tetorō tipped his head. "Well...if we make them stay home and not help with clean up the first day after their wedding, that one day will likely be it for a while."

"One day!" both ladies cried, scandalized, "That's all?!"

"Poor Purrcy," Nazuna shook her head sympathetically.

"Well...that is rather her normal speed," Tetorō said a little timidly, not wanting to be a target. "If Shiroe doesn't keep her busy, she comes up with things herself - and not always for the better." He wasn't sure it was completely true. She did feel like she had to get things done in town quickly in case she was needed outside of it again, and he was certain she still wasn't ready to be locked down in town longer than necessary. The quicker she could get things done, the better as far as that was concerned. It was already looking like it was going to be at least two weeks again before she could get leave to go, and they might all be going together this time.

Rieze and Nazuna seemed to buy that excuse, though, and nodded then let him go after a bit more pumping for information he wouldn't give them. He finished his walk in peace and went straight to put the clothes he'd brought with him in Nyanta's room, hanging them up on the clothing rack there. Then he wondered why he was still carrying the clothing for them when they could have just put it in their lists. He shrugged and left the room. It wasn't like he'd offered to turn the clothes over to them.

He tapped on Shiroe's door and let himself in. He gave his report, then took himself to the couch in the main area, lay down on it, and studied the spells Purrcy had cast that day until the other six he'd been with showed back up. Then he sent the four guards off to join Michael and the other Eagles at their practice. He made Purrcy lie down on his chest as small housecat and sleep, and sent Nyanta in to talk to Shiroe. It was nice to finally get to just pet Purrcy again and listen to her purr in her sleep. When Nyanta came out of the office he looked at them for a moment, then headed to the kitchen to refamiliarize himself with it. He really couldn't feel like he was home until he was there, in his own domain.

Eventually, some timer went off inside Purrcy and she woke up, stretched, licked Tetorō's chin and hopped off him to head for the kitchen as well. Tetorō sat up and tried to start waking up as well. He made a brief stop at the bathroom, then sat back down on the couch. The twins and tank showed up first. After settling in, Naotsugu joined Tetorō on the couch with a smile. Tetorō smiled back while leaning on one leg tucked up on the couch in front of him, a hand holding the ankle. "You look like you're still trying to wake up from a cat napping on you," Naotsugu accused lightly.

"Yup," Tetorō said happily.

Naotsugu rubbed Tetorō's head briefly and leaned back contentedly. "That's a good thing." Tetorō nodded. Touya and Minori passed by chatting happily on their way to the kitchen to help with getting things ready. They glanced at Tetorō on the way and relaxed just a little more to see him smiling and relaxed.

Touya did pause and jerk a thumb at Shiroe's door. "Any arguments today?" he asked briefly.

"Nope!" Tetorō said brightly. Touya had a slow smile come on his face and Minori sighed in relief. They entered the kitchen happy and by the sounds coming from that room, things stayed that way.

Michael and the Eagles showed up next. They washed up and immediately began setting up the additional tables and chairs - half of them. The other half vanished to the kitchen as well, though most of those were almost immediately ejected. With Hahaue and Chichue in the room, the additional hands weren't quite so necessary. Isuzu and Rudy arrived last and quickly washed up to join the rest of them. They were also relieved to see the pair on the couch being relaxed. As Rudy looked around the rest of the room, his eyes lit on the four who were still in their "uniform" and his eyes widened. He swung around to look at Tetorō.

Tetorō smiled. "That's the new uniform of the house of the King and Queen. We'll all get the real things after the festival, when the tailors have the time to work them up. Those are just illusions for now that haven't been taken off them yet. Like it?"

"Yes," Rudy said, "it's past time that we had proper official clothing to represent our house appropriately. I shall be proud to wear that uniform."

Naotsugu waved a hand. "Slow down a bit, Rudy boy. We won't wear it all the time, just when on official business they send us on. You know Adventurers aren't that formal."

Rudy's face fell just a bit, then he lifted himself up again. " _I'm_ always on official business."

Isuzu hit him lightly. "If you're going information gathering and walk around in that, you'll be ignored and won't hear anything useful. Only wear it when you're told to."

Rudy rubbed his head. "Of course, Lady Isuzu."

Isuzu looked at Tetorō. "What about us girls?"

Tetorō tilted his head. "The same. She only ordered one with a skirt, though. That's probably for Minori, is my guess. You'll get pants. If you don't want, let her know, or me, and we'll get that changed."

Isuzu waved a hand. "That's fine. The sword too?"

Tetorō shook his head. "Long daggers for the ladies." Isuzu nodded, content, and dropped into her chair.

"How much is it going to set me back?" Shiroe and Akatsuki had come into the room as well, now. Shiroe asked the question as he reached his chair and sat down.

"Nothing, for the uniforms," Tetorō answered. "She's used a loophole for those. I'm not sure on the blades, but I think nothing there, too. At least a payment wasn't asked for at the time. She did leave behind a box of dragon scale and an urn of something I didn't even recognize, as well as another box of something you don't want me to name. Of course, they're supposed to be used for her stuff. She did give them the new blade instructions, and a pre-order for travel trunks, and an order to share their secrets. So I'm not sure where the balance ended up. We'll find out when the blades arrive, I suppose."

"When's that supposed to be?" Michael asked, looking at them like they were toothpicks and not really useful.

Tetorō smiled a smug smile. "In time for the wedding." Michael looked up at him in surprise. "And they aren't props. They're the real deal. She set the flavor text while they're just mithril ingots. They're magic swords and are magic resistant, will have bonuses, and can't be stolen from their owners, or lost." He looked at Shiroe. "You might want to plan in time for the next court. I think she's going to go for the formal one this time."

Shiroe looked at Tetorō with wide eyes, then slumped onto his elbow, propping up his chin in his hand. "When's available?"

"Well...the night before the wedding, but she said they could bring them midday that day...so...do you think she might want to do it once everyone's all dressed up but before the guests show?"

"That would be about the latest," Rudy said. "She'll want everyone properly positioned before we're in front of the People of the Land delegation."

"That's true," Shiroe said with a nod. "Check with the blacksmiths, though, and see if they can be ready the afternoon before. That second night might be better."

"Fine, but we have to be done early that night, or she's not going to make it the next day. The Water Maple ladies asked to have her the first night to let her have her bachelorette party just playing at the festival." The girls brightened up at that news. "She needs to have some time to rest." Shiroe nodded to that, too.

"Hmm," Naotsugu rubbed a cheek. "Bachelorette party is it? I wonder what we should do for Nyanta?" He glanced at Shiroe, who looked back at him with wide eyes. Shiroe went a bit resigned. "He's a closet pervert, too, so...we should definitely make sure we --" He was suddenly head down vertical against the tree behind him.

"May I knee the pervert in the face, Shiroe?" Akatsuki asked, pointing at the man slowly peeling off the tree and floating to the floor like a piece of paper.

"At least ask _first_!" Naotsugu complained. "And it's a common bachelor party, besides."

"Not in Akiba!" Isuzu scolded roundly. "Don't even think it again, Naotsugu!"

Naotsugu sat on the floor rubbing his head where the knee had made contact. He raised an eyebrow at Isuzu. "Even you, huh? It's that bad?"

Both females in the room scowled at him, hands on hips. He held up a defensive hand. "We'll think of something good," he promised. When they looked away, he looked at the Eagles and winked. They all looked sly until they were looked at. Then they just looked innocent.

Shiroe shook his head. "Just remember...he won't take kindly to Naotsugu's idea of fun. And Naotsugu can't take it either, in the end." He looked significantly at Naotsugu as the Guardian sat back down in his place. "Remember, your bachelor party is after his. If he's offended, you might regret it when it comes time for yours."

"Ah," Naotsugu checked himself. "Right. He is that way, isn't he?" He slumped in defeat. "Well...I could just blame it on someone else." Everyone looked at him with narrowed eyes. He gave up just as the kitchen crew entered the room carrying the food and drinks. Eyes lit up around the room at the delicious smells coming with them. Soon they were all quiet except for the sounds of happy eating.

-:-:-:-:-

That night, after clean up was completed, Nyanta and Purrcy sat with Shiroe and Akatsuki in Shiroe's office room and visited pleasantly. Purrcy sat in Akatsuki's lap as kitten so Shiroe could pet her. Akatsuki also tentatively, and with repressed delight, pet her - it being her first time to have the courage and opportunity to pet Purrcy's kitten form. When Nyanta shifted, Purrcy went back to him and cuddled next to him while the four talked of casual things. They didn't stay overly long, however.

Purrcy said goodnight to Nyanta outside Shiroe's door, then shifted to cat and ran up the tree in the middle of the room. Nyanta sighed and walked himself to his room to put himself to bed. Purrcy visited with Tetorō first, purring him to sleep while he held her as big cat. When he was asleep, she transformed to small cat, slipped out of his hold, and left his room. She wandered from room to room on that floor, learning who was in which room. If she found someone awake, she stopped by to visit briefly, then moved on until she'd reached the sixth floor and the last room.

Then she took herself up on the roof and climbed the tree until she was in an upper branch. She gazed out over the lights of the market district until her eyes were heavy and finally closed in sleep. She wanted to wake up with Nyanta in front of her the next morning, but knew she wouldn't. They still had to wait for a week. It was a thing they'd promised each other a long time ago, when they had first talked openly with each other.

ProudWing had willingly stayed as their chaperone the night before, and they'd slept on either side of him, tucked up in his warm fur and feathers. They wouldn't have made it otherwise. Tonight wasn't quite so bad with all the guild around them to help them. They'd keep busy, too. The time would surely pass quickly.


	5. More Baby Steps Towards Real

Purrcy ran down the tree. She'd left the trap door open that night before and it slammed shut behind her on her way down, she was moving so fast. It wasn't so loud, but it must have been enough. Nyanta was turned to face her by the time she skittered into the kitchen, transformed, and wrapped her arms around him. "Good meowrning," Nyanta said, his arms holding her warmly.

She sighed happily and her ear brushed against his furry head as it flicked a 'good morning' back. She pulled back to look at him, a smile on her face. "Good morning!"

He smiled to see she was happy. He gave her a kiss then leaned over to whisper in her ear. "I can tell mew aren't really back yet." Her ear tipped a question as her tail curled to the question mark as well. "Clothes, nyan?" She immediately was embarrassed and quickly put on one of her favorite casual dresses. "Better," he said, a chuckle in his voice. He released her and rubbed her head. "Sometimes, mew remind me of my son when he was two."

"What should I start on?" she asked him.

"We'll have fruit and omelette this meowrning," he answered, returning to his eggs.

Purrcy pulled out as much fruit as she could find and the cutting boards and knives. The kitchen had gotten several new tables so that there were enough work surfaces for when all the kitchen assistants were in the room at once. A larger stove, oven, and sink had also been installed. As she pulled out a large bowl to hold the cut fruit, she nodded. "My second was like that, too. I was always chasing after him out the front door as he went streaking out of the house, naked. Then he'd hit the grass in his bare feet and wail at the touch, trying to walk without putting his feet down. He just hated being touched by anything in general for a while, until I figured out that if I massaged him after every bath his skin got used to it, like it needed to be calloused or properly calibrated. It still took a while to get him to keep clothes on, though. Shoes almost never unless he was actually walking in them. I think he's wearing sandals he can kick off now pretty exclusively." She looked up and grinned at Nyanta. "I'll get back to being used to it by tomorrow, I would think, the next day at the latest. Keep reminding me, though. In my case, it's just habit."

Nyanta nodded, giving her a happy glance as he fed the last of the egg shells to the Salamander that heated the oven. He added a few spices, then pulled out his whisk and began whipping up the eggs. She kept up the flow of happy conversation, for all it was mostly one-sided. It was their morning pattern here at home.

It was actually a group of Eagles who showed up next in the kitchen. "Who set off the firecracker this morning?" one asked.

Purrcy looked up in surprise. "Oh, that was me. Sorry. I was in such a hurry that I didn't take care with the trap door. I'll try to be more thoughtful from now on."

"Oh, is that what is was?" another said. They all looked at each other. "We'll fix it." It was said with quiet finality.

"Ah...as long as that means to make it quieter, not to seal it up?" Purrcy asked hesitantly. She could feel her fur beginning to stand on end.

They blinked at her. "Of course," she was reassured.

"Purrcy, come help me cook the egg," Nyanta requested quietly. "They can cut, now they're here."

Purrcy scanned their Cook levels. Satisfied, she nodded and moved over to take out a second pan and pick up a spatula. Nyanta poured out his measure for his pan and then poured the rest in her pan. Once the bowl was set aside, and he was back at his place, he reached over and brushed a paw down the back of her head and over her back. As his paw left her, her tail curled up to grasp his wrist. He tugged lightly and she took a half-step closer so he could have the distance he needed to hold the handle of his pan.

Purrcy frowned at her pan. "You know. I'm not sure I've made omelette here yet. You'd better run down the instructions just to make sure I don't fail on this try." She stepped closer to him and watched closely as he instructed her over his pan, letting his voice soothe her until she was calm again. She gave him a kiss in exchange for the instructions, then moved back to her pan to light the fire under it and begin cooking.

She was suddenly being held about the middle. She twisted around to see Minori smiling and looking up at her. Purrcy wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders. "Good morning, Minori-chan." She bent down to kiss the top of her head. "It will all be ready quickly today, I think."

"Good morning, Hahaue!" Minori said cheerfully. "We'll get started on table setting right away, then."

Purrcy released Minori, who moved, and then was replaced with Touya. "Hmm...good morning Touya," Purrcy said thoughtful. "That wasn't right, you know."

"What wasn't right?" he asked, a bit crestfallen.

"You're not tall enough. You should already be almost at least another foot taller. It should have been a hug around the shoulders by now for your age. I'm going to have to work on that. A spell that lets our children grow properly so they don't always look like children for the rest of the years they are here. Otherwise, when you go home, you'll stumble all over yourself trying to get used to the giant you'll be there."

He looked at her open-mouthed. "Well, as long as we don't stumble all over ourselves with a sudden growth spurt here," he requested.

Purrcy laughed. "Of course you will. You would at home, too. I can't count the number of times I had children crying over stubbed toes and bruises from spaces that were suddenly too narrow. I'll make it slow enough growth to match that as much as possible, though. Having a sudden one foot growth will be too much, you're right about that."

Touya smiled back. "Well, it would be nice, but it won't make that much a difference for me either way."

Purrcy rubbed his head. "Even so. Balance is still different. I should know. I'm not this tall at home. Nyanta isn't either, and he was in a bed, so it was even harder for him."

Touya looked from her to Nyanta in surprise, then back again when he got a faint nod of agreement. Purrcy rubbed his head again as Minori called for him to come help her with setting the table. He left to go help and Purrcy returned to her cooking. In short order they had food ready and Nyanta was calling everyone to the tables.

Once they were all seated and eating, everyone ran through their plans for the day. At some point Purrcy paused and lifted her glass, staring at the liquid inside it, thinking hard. "What is it?" Shiroe asked her after a bit.

Purrcy came back out. "Eh? Oh...it was a manga theory that if a Japanese person drank lots of milk as a child, it would help them grow tall. I was wondering if that really worked or not, since most Japanese are lactose intolerant, being from a nation and blood-line that doesn't naturally have milk products and doesn't digest them well. Milk is a whole food, containing sugars, proteins, and fats all in one package, plus has the calcium necessary for bone growth, so it actually _should_ be true. It's just I would expect it to make the Japanese child who had to drink it rather ill."

"Well...we aren't currently in Japan are we?" Shiroe responded mildly.

"Oh," Purrcy perked up, "no, we aren't are we? Well, then, I think I'll try that method then. It will be an easier one."

Touya looked at her. "Magic milk?"

Purrcy smiled at him. "Yup. I'll have to put a limiter on it, like an age as well as height limiter. That will be the hard part for any spell I use, though. I just thought if it was made available through a potion-like medium, then it could be used that way - by someone who was ready or interested. If each glass had a set maximum, like half an inch or two centimeters, then you could grow as slow or as fast as you were comfortable growing, and space it out properly, adjusting as you went."

Shiroe nodded. "I'm about that too tall here, too: a few centimeters. I kept tripping the first day or so of walking around town until I got used to the differentials. Reach makes a difference, too, not just height. It took a while to get used to how to grasp at a cup without spilling it. I had to focus down pretty hard for the first few days on that, too. You're looking to help people grow, Purrcy?"

Purrcy nodded and explained it to him. He nodded thoughtfully and Akatsuki had an interesting look on her face. "Would it be making the world more real?" he asked her.

"Probably," her face didn't give anything away, "in some ways, though it's still artificial and through magical means. If they started growing based on the more difficult magic I initially thought of, then it would be more like the real growth." She looked down the table at Rudy. "Have you kept properly growing, Rudy?"

He paused his eating and put his hand on the top of his head, a wondering look in his eyes. "I don't know. I haven't been measuring it."

"Stand up," Isuzu stood up, next to him as usual.

He stood up next to her and she looked up at him. "Not much, if he is at all."

"For over a year now?" Isuzu nodded and sat, Rudy sitting again as well and going back to his meal. "How tall is your father?" Purrcy asked Rudy.

He considered it. "Probably still another half-head taller than me, or perhaps more."

Purrcy nodded. "You should be at least another inch taller in that one year if not more, then. So the sub-class slowed you down. I wonder why?" She mulled on that while returning to her own plate. "All the creatures and People of the Earth grow."

"Artifact," Shiroe mumbled, in a slightly frustrated tone of voice.

Purrcy laughed. "You'd think you were in favor of going real, just to cut down on Adventurer artifacts, Shiroe."

He looked up suddenly, then smiled in chagrin. "I suppose it could be seen that way. It is irritating to have the outliers thrown at us so suddenly, particularly when they show up in unexpected ways. Are you going to make Growth Milk your next product, then?"

"Probably," Purrcy said calmly. "I'd like to have permission from our own children to experiment on them first, if they'd be willing." She suddenly laughed. "You know, in the States it was all the rage to make sure that the growth hormones given to cows and other creatures wasn't so that our children would stop maturing too fast. Now here I am creating that exact product to sell here. Definitely not a product that would go over well over there, ...except maybe in Japan." She winked and got grins back.

"Purrcy," Akatsuki said very seriously. Purrcy looked at her, waiting. "If...you can create...a potion that is new..., can you create one that is old?" Purrcy tipped her head, not quite understanding. "That is...could you recreate the sex change potion?"

Tetorō sat up straight and paid close attention, looking between Akatsuki and Purrcy. Neither he nor Akatsuki needed it any more, but there were still many who did and would pay handsomely for it. Purrcy looked down at her plate, considering the proposition. Finally she said, "That might be a guild project. If we can figure out how to get an artisan potion to work at all, reverse engineering that particular one will take some concerted effort. I believe that since we don't have a potion available to study, from my skill set we'd have to go hunting down the code that created that particular potion and see how to translate the code into usable ingredients. We'd have to do a lot of experimental guess work, otherwise." She looked up at Shiroe. "Surely Roderick's already been working on recreating that one since long ago?"

"It's likely," Shiroe said cautiously. "I know they have a small apothecary department that has been trying to recreate potions in general. So far they've only managed to create low level potions, though."

Purrcy leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. Looking up into space she thought about that. "Mmm...that's the field for witches, actually. Curses, yes, but also potions. I'll send out a search to see if a little farther afield there might be a few other witches that have surfaced. I don't think Yuudai is going to go that direction. We might have to reform someone who's decided to go the direction of poisons, but if we could, that would be the person we'd want to bring in. Their magic will naturally make the potions magical potions."

"We should stop in at that department for sure so I can see how far they've all gotten. It's also possible one or more of them are about to cross that threshhold themselves. If so, then between them, Shiroe, and I we should be able to come up with a shorter list of potentially useful ingredients. That's going to be a high level potion. Even my growth potion will be a middle to middle-high grade potion, though I'm trying to keep it as low a cost as possible so the junior set can afford it."

She tipped her head at Akatsuki. "That's a wonderful product suggestion. We'll see what we can do." She paused then looked at Shiroe. "I wonder how much cross-over there is between Akiba and Minami. It would be a shame to be almost ready to go to production and learn they already have perfected it there."

Shiroe nodded calmly. "That's why I put Michitaka in charge of Development and Innovation over there. By the time he gets back, he'll know where all the overlaps are. We'll be able to sort it out when we meet - I'm hoping at the joint council. Competition is okay, but it would be nice to not be replicating and wasting efforts between cities when there's so much that could be done and still needs to be done."

Purrcy nodded. "Regional specialization." He gave a brief nod back. "Speaking of which, have you requisitioned the train to take with us overseas, yet?"

He looked up at her with an eyebrow raised, then sighed. "Yes. They still want another four months for it. I've asked for it in another two - to have it done by the time we go there for the Winter Festival." Purrcy nodded again, but didn't say anything other than that about it. "Tetorō says you've ordered trunks to carry product in?"

"We'll take the train for our explorations, but in the end, most of the transportation is going to still be by caravan. If we take the progress around the world, so to speak, by train from gate to gate only, then set up waypoints at them to ship product from by caravan, see? The product needs to be safely delivered to the final points, wherever that might be, so the trunks aren't necessarily for the first part of the trip."

Shiroe nodded his understanding. "So the train will deliver to the gates until the gates are up and functional."

"Yes," she said calmly.

"I'll need to make individual general translation spells then so that the caravan leads can communicate pretty much anywhere, in case they run into the same troubles you guys did," he mused.

"Trunk construction could go north to Ezzo," Purrcy suggested. "Once we've got the process down, anyway. They are in a mineral rich area and the furnaces are a blessing in the cold. I would expect they'll be like caskets back home. Everyone needs one some time. There won't be a lack of income, even if it isn't ever super high, except our first orders we're keeping here. We'll need to figure out how to draw blacksmiths up there, though. ...Mmm...could we convince the blacksmiths that are People of the Land to go up there? The magic infused in their products won't likely be very high level, for the most part, and for the few products that do need higher levels, if even just a couple of Adventurer blacksmiths go, that might be sufficient."

She rubbed her head. "The beach I was at just before crossing would be a good place to put a blacksmith village. If the Silver Swords sent down regular patrols from Susukino, and the Adventurers were given quests to obtain the materials, that beach location would be a good place to dock the Ocypete for material transfer and trade with the lower islands. It could become another rather large city after ten years or so. The Ocypete, or other ships, would have to hire on Adventurers to get through the monster-infested waters, but they aren't that difficult to overcome at the levels we are now, with enough of us. ...I wonder if the Giants could be brought in for mineral trade and ship defense if they got to send the food materials home? Those sea monsters are plenty large enough to feed a small Giant village."

Shiroe had his elbow on the table and his chin in his hand, looking at Purrcy with a tolerant, but pleased expression on his face. "So...your mind really does work like this."

She looked at him in surprise. "Yes. All the time. Just shush me when you need to think instead of have things flowing. It's rather often a never ending flow."

"Well," he said, "I can see now why you had Radio Market and Grandale so busy."

Purrcy smiled at him. "Yes. With only me and my own thoughts, and sometimes free time on my hands to experiment, lots of things were able to come about in the end. But see...with all of us, we've added even more. You and the guildmaster list, Akatsuki and the potion. Everyone is capable of coming up with ideas. It's the follow-through that most often doesn't happen."

Shiroe rose and picked up his dishes. "Well, that's enough for one morning, I'm sure," he smiled to show he meant nothing by his words and she smiled back, standing as well.

"Probably for the next two or three days, actually. You've let me monopolize the breakfast table again." She also picked up her dishes and they walked to the kitchen together discussing yet another point Shiroe asked her about.

Touya and Minori looked at each other and lifted fists to bump them in their twin salute. Everyone else that had sat through the fights the last time were in complete agreement. This was _much_ better...even if they did monopolize the morning conversation.

-:-:-:-:-

That morning was spent in various quiet but important pursuits. The boys, Isuzu, and Naotsugu headed out to help Crescent Moon again. Michael and the sub-guild headed out to practice again, Tetorō going with them this time to see they were still properly holding to Log Horizon levels of excellence and get his own practice in.

Nyanta spent time with Minori going through the kitchen stores to make up a proper shopping list, then decided it was time to have food delivered. The grocers were set up in their small booths to service the small guilds and individuals, but they also had delivery services for the larger guilds. Log Horizon was still technically small, but their time was too important really to be taking trips of six or more of them to the grocers every day or two. If there were individual ingredients needed, they could go and pick them up as necessary. It did beg the question if perhaps a Person of the Land chef should be brought in, but after thinking briefly on it, it was decided that they had enough in the guild. If Nyanta and Purrcy shouldn't be available, it could fall back to Minori and the others again, and if necessary, the Eagles who had some level of repertoire and were learning quickly.

Once that was decided, Nyanta took the opportunity to call Serera and talk to her, the excuse being to find out who Crescent Moon had deliver food as that would be the easiest solution for Log Horizon as well since the deliveries could be on the same day. He chatted with her while taking a full inventory of his kitchen to truly understand the modifications Minori had made. Since Serera had walked over by that time, Minori helped tell him what it was she had done around the edges of the conversation. It was a pleasant working time in the kitchen that morning.

They did have to excuse Serera after a bit since she was also working on preparing for the evening's barbecue. Nyanta gave her his sauce recipe before she left and she left quite happy. Minori gave him a happy smile as a reward and they proceeded to contact the product supplier to place their orders.

-:-:-:-:-

After dropping off dishes in the kitchen, Purrcy and Shiroe went together to his office, picking up Akatsuki on the way, almost literally since they each took one arm and almost carried her in. At first Purrcy kept her, to sit on her lap and purr for her until Akatsuki was relaxed, while the two Machiavelli's finished their conversation. Then Shiroe patted the seat next to him and Akatsuki went over and joined him. "So...explain exactly what you want Purrcy and Soujirou to talk about when it comes to the Mysteries?" he asked her.

The answer to that question, when they finally ferreted it out, took them several hours of discussion to decide on and the tactic to approach it from - though it was perhaps made that long because Shiroe had to keep drawing Purrcy back from her tangents. In the end, Soujirou and Nazuna were invited to come early, before the wedding rehearsal, to discuss educational issues.

The ones at the house ate a brief lunch together, then Minori took herself off to help Crescent Moon again. Purrcy and Nyanta found themselves in a surprising quiet moment that they took full advantage of. They escaped to the third floor patio and had a cat nap for the early afternoon in the sun, ending up as cats curled around each other on the lounge chair.

About an hour later, Shiroe had an idle question for Purrcy. When Akatsuki said she was on the porch, Shiroe decided to get a little exercise and walked up there. Seeing the sleeping cats made him pause and admire them, they were just too cute in their curled and pretzeled poses. He stared at them until he was relaxed again, then he smiled and left them in peace, not quite able to bring himself to interrupt their quiet repose. He'd forgotten his question anyway.

The little smile stayed on his face even after he was seated at his desk again. Akatsuki finally asked him what it was, and he just said, "Cats." Since she didn't really know what that meant, she excused herself a little later and went up to look for herself. It took her longer to understand it, but she did finally return feeling more relaxed and then had a hard time staying awake so that she removed herself to the roof and exercised until she was awake again. In the end, she decided cats were dangerous for her unless it was really bedtime.

-:-:-:-:-

Akatsuki ushered Soujirou and Nazuna into Shiroe's office and disappeared. "Thank you for coming at such a busy time," Shiroe said calmly. "I hope we aren't taking too much away from your schedule this afternoon." He walked over briefly to shake hands and escort them to chairs set next to each other around the coffee table set between the couches.

They sat, but seemed a little unsure. It was rare Shiroe called for intimate meetings in his guild hall office. They weren't sure the given reason for the invitation was the real reason for it. "We're happy to come, Shiroe-sempai," Soujirou said politely. "A few hours of just us is fine, isn't it?"

Shiroe poured them tea. Once it had been delivered to them, he settled in his place on the couch. "It's likely too early for unrest or outside influences, if we're going to have them this time, but how are things out there at the moment?"

Nazuna waved her tail. "There hasn't been anything since the fireworks three days ago. Things seem properly quiet. Everyone is working hard."

Shiroe looked at her for a moment. She was garbed in a rather nice outfit that wasn't the casual, sloppy kimono any more. "That's good," he said, wondering how he might complement her without causing offence. "I'm glad we can rely on West Wind Brigade. Your help has always been invaluable. I do hope we haven't increased the difficulty level by bringing in another city. It's a rather dicey experiment, really."

Nazuna glanced at Soujirou, then crossed her legs and went confrontationally casual. "Well...if it's true that a certain Hacker has really arrived in time, then I think we'll call on that one if things get too out of hand."

Shiroe hid a smile. "Well...even if said person is here, that one isn't omnipotent, you know."

Nazuna waved a dismissive hand. "A single scolding, even if heard by everyone in the city all at once should be sufficient."

Shiroe couldn't hide the smile. He shook his head. "Was it so terrible, really, Nazuna? You're looking very well put together, now."

"Well...it was an adjustment," she admitted. Shiroe noticed the look that Soujirou gave Nazuna. It seemed to be one of calm ownership almost, with a touch of pride.

Not for the first time Shiroe wondered just how far they'd been required to go to keep Nazuna and the guild sane when the Plague Master had infected her. Quietly he said, "I'm sorry a solution was so long coming. I hope we weren't too late for you."

Soujirou glanced at Nazuna, then leaned forward, his face calm as always. "You did what you could. We managed as best we could."

"Still...," Shiroe said, sadly, "I am sorry." There was just a bit of an awkward silence that was thankfully interrupted by the door opening.

Akatsuki entered. Nyanta and Purrcy entered behind her. Akatsuki went straight to Shiroe's side and knelt on the couch. Purrcy went directly to Nazuna, who rose to greet her. The felinoid and fox-tail embraced, tails lifted and waving slightly. "It's good to see you again, Nazuna," Purrcy said kindly.

"Glad you could make it back for the festival," Nazuna replied. Purrcy pulled back and looked her up and down once closely, then smiled. Nazuna blushed slightly, but looked pleased.

Purrcy moved to take Soujirou's hand. "It's good to greet you again as well, Guildmaster," she said politely.

Soujirou had risen to greet her as well and when she released him, he bowed. "It is my honor to greet you again as well." He glanced at Akatsuki. "I've been waiting for the opportunity to speak with you, at Akatsuki's request."

"Indeed," Purrcy said, "it's at her request we're meeting today. On her behalf, thank you for coming." Akatsuki flushed lightly and nodded her thanks. Soujirou bowed slightly to Akatsuki and both he and Nazuna relaxed just a little. Purrcy returned to Nyanta as he greeted the visiting couple and they all sat again.

"When did you arrive?" Soujirou asked politely.

"Yesterday, actually, but today is likely the only calm day I'll have for some time, according to Guildmaster Shiroe," Purrcy answered. "I hope the timing isn't too inconvenient for you."

"No, now is fine. Particularly since I need to be here later anyway," Soujirou smiled slightly. "Are you looking forward to your nuptials?"

Purrcy's eyes sparkled and she took Nyanta's paw. "Yes, I am," she glanced at Shiroe, "though, I have yet to see the monstrosity Shiroe has chosen for me to wear. The Princess has told me that she was made to wear the most indecent thing ever at his hands, far worse than anything Marielle has put on her. I heard it was Valkyrie Armor." Her ears rotated a few times. "I have heard from Calasin it's Fairy Queen, so I'm expecting more feathers than a cat should wear." Shiroe didn't give anything away, but did acknowledge her teasing look.

"Well...he can choose the most unexpected thing sometimes," Soujirou agreed. "I appreciate what you selected for me."

"Oh? I'm pleased to hear it," Purrcy said brightly. "I was a little concerned you'd be uncomfortable and was hoping it would be acceptable. I'm looking forward to seeing you in it. You do know we've paid for it, and it's yours to keep, I hope."

Soujirou blinked in surprise. "Ah, I hadn't heard. That's rather a kind gift. Thank you."

"It is merely a simple sign of our gratitude for your willingness to stand with us," Purrcy said dismissively, but still kindly. Shiroe wondered if Calasin knew that, or if it was going to be a last minute surprise. Purrcy turned to Akatsuki to allow her to present the topic of the afternoon.

"Guildmaster Soujirou," Akatsuki said, her fist tightening in her lap slightly, "Purrcy doesn't know about the Mysteries, but she has learned other things that might be the same. I was hoping that the two of you might be able to discuss the matter." Her eyes were bright with anticipation.

Purrcy turned back to Soujirou who was looking interested. "The first question I had after Akatsuki told me about them was how many can be learned by a person? She thought that if anyone had more than one, it would be you."

Soujirou blinked. "I have two, and have been attempting to experiment to see if a third can be gained."

"Can you please explain the process by which you gain them?" Purrcy asked.

Soujirou leaned on his elbows and clasped his hands together. "I have tried to come up with an explanation. It's terribly difficult. The summary is this. Want it badly, and keep thinking about it. Don't give up; keep training. It will come." He sighed. "It isn't really sufficient, but even adding more words doesn't help much. Only those who've been gifted with a Mystery understand how simple it is once it's given, yet how just as completely indescribable."

"Do many have one now?" Purrcy asked her next question.

"In many of the fighting guilds now, yes, since we've begun training them both in West Wind Brigade and in D.D.D." Soujirou answered.

"Are they only in the fighting realm, or have you seen any appear for magic users?"

He looked at her with an intrigued look. "I can't say, I'm afraid. We've assumed they are only for fighters."

"Hmm," Purrcy commented, then leaned back thoughtfully. "Would you consider the appearance of the new magic sub-classes as magic Mysteries?"

Soujirou's brow furrowed. "No, I don't think so. They are like stepping into a new place. The Mysteries are more like being handed a new single-purpose tool."

"Then, a Mystery of the magician might be like receiving a new spell within their own Class realm, that appears because they have wished for it and worked hard for it, putting their effort into its appearance and usefulness?" Purrcy tried to dig a little deeper.

Rubbing his head, Soujirou thought about coming from that direction. "Yes, I would think that would be the equivalent."

"I think you are working too hard," Purrcy said in response.

Soujirou stared at her. "Too...hard?"

"Perhaps, it would be to say, you might even be working backwards." Soujirou blinked at her, not comprehending. "You are hoping for something, but until you have a need it doesn't blossom into fruition. Let me tell you what I've learned to do and please tell me if you think it's the same, but from a different direction." Soujirou shifted to a listening pose. Purrcy proceeded to explain to him how she had learned to treat the world and each learning step as a natural progression from one piece or step of what she wanted, or chose from the beginning, to be able to do. How after a sufficient number of steps were passed through and her levels raised high enough, she could do anything that required that level to do with a minor amount of training.

"This is how the learning to become a Chef, when one isn't one, works, of course, and therefore where all the sub-classes are coming from that anyone can learn and do, even if it can't be seen on a status screen." He and Nazuna both nodded. So far it was easy to follow. "What I do differently is in the visualization and releasing the mind-body connection, to some degree. In one evening I had both Touya and Minori raised from almost no cooking skill at all to third level Chef sub-skill. It still took practice, but not weeks. Only about an hour to an hour and a half. It's my guess that you also use the same method, but in not completely comprehending it you've made it more difficult than it needs to be. Akatsuki, knowing already about the Mysteries and then hearing how I taught it to them thought they might be intertwined." Soujirou's eyes were burning.

Shiroe interrupted. "Souji," he waited until he had his friend's attention, "I need you to understand that this method needs experimentation to confirm. It also needs to be kept quiet for now if it does work. At least until it can be presented as just the natural flow of education out of the Academy. I'm concerned that if we let this loose all at once to everyone we'll have a backlash. I do believe it's the next step in the direction everything is headed, so we can't keep it from being known much longer anyway. I would like you to handle the initial experimentation, then figure out how to implement a gradual plan to let it out to everyone through a controlled environment. Will you do it my way, please?" He was asking as a friend, but he was also asking as Machiavelli, as King.

Soujirou took a deep breath, trying to restrain himself. He blinked a few times. "So you're saying, the natural things we talked about before you left for Minami...this is the next thing you want handled delicately?"

"Yes. Exactly," Shiroe said. "And I need you and West Wind Brigade to do it for me."

Soujirou pursed his lips, then looked at Nazuna. Her eyes were almost as fiery as his had been. She nodded once to him. Soujirou nodded soberly to Shiroe. "We'll do it." When Shiroe nodded again, they looked to Purrcy again.

Purrcy held out her hand and an apple appeared. On the table appeared a cutting board and a knife. Both persons watching had sparks in their eyes at just that much. "I am a natural Adventurer," Purrcy declared. "I'll teach it to you using the Chef method since that's the most easy to comprehend by, but you already do it in your fighting practice, I'm sure." She clearly explained how to visualize the cutting of the apple before even placing the knife to it, setting that process in the body, then setting the body to the action. "Now watch me do it. Feel it with every fiber of your being. Imagine your own body doing it. Hear every sound, smell every smell. Integrate your body into the activity. Every teaching must begin this way, as any Chef student will tell you. The recipe will fail if you don't give your 'intent' to listening to the recipe. I've told you the recipe. Now you observe." She set the apple down and the knife to it, then cut the apple into slices through the core.

Setting the knife down carefully, she allowed a pause. "Set it in the _body_ now that it's in the mind, as if you'd been the one to perform the action you just observed." She waited, then two more apples appeared. She gave the slices from her apple to Shiroe and Akatsuki and passed the apples, knife, and board on to the other couple. "Guildmaster, hold the apple in your hand, the knife in the other, but only hold them. Repeat the visualization, including sound, smell, expectation, and feel in your mind, only this time it is you that is doing the cutting exactly as I did it. Once you believe you have it set in your mind, set it in the body. When you are ready thereafter, set the apple to the board and the knife to the apple. Calm your mind and release the body to act according to what you set. You may keep your eyes open, and should, but your mind should not be an active participant in the actual cutting this first time."

Soujirou took a breath, picked up one apple and the knife. He shifted forward so he could comfortably reach the cutting board, then he held still. He took several deep, relaxing breaths, took the time to visualize, then calmly set the apple and the knife to the cutting board. When it was cut, he looked at Purrcy, blinking. "That's it. That's what it feels like the first time."

Purrcy nodded. "Then you have only begun to step onto the path, and you are still going at it the hard way. Cut the second apple. This time, treat it as a weapons attack only in that half way through the cutting process, change slightly the action you set ahead of time. We have taken to calling this 'bumping'. Touya says it's akin to what he has to do when a target he had set as third or fourth is taken out by Rudy and he has to change his plan after the fact."

Soujirou's eyes were positively triumphant. He nodded, just as carefully set the path he wanted to take, then set the apple down. It was obvious where the 'bump' was in his cutting and he even managed to not cut himself in the process. His smile was gleeful, yet hard. He looked up. "How long does it take to become a Chef in this process?"

"Enough cutting of one type - fruit or vegetable and it can happen in about twenty minutes to half an hour to get the sub-class at level one. Change to the other type and continue and level two comes in about just as long. Visualize combining the fruits in their differing colors, textures, flavors, and pay attention to how others will enjoy eating it, and how well the flavors will mix, and you can put them all together into a bowl to make fruit salad and get to level three in another twenty minutes. If you make bread dough, another half hour to level four. Each new thing you try that is a simple step, focused on completely, is a movement forward. The levels do still apply. You can cut meat and put it on skewers at level five, but you can't cook it until level fifteen. Even still, within three days, you can be there with this method."

"You should try to limit it to five levels per day per skill so the body has the opportunity to really integrate the lessons learned, and three is better if you plan on learning multiple things in a day." Purrcy turned to Akatsuki. "I asked Akatsuki to not use this method for the fighting arts until this time, but I know she has been visualizing most diligently because her levels have still gone up regardless. Let your next lesson be to watch her. Akatsuki, take them to a secluded place and explain what you have already visualized, one at a time, from simplest to most complicated, then actually perform the physical action. I believe you will find they are mastered after two to three practice runs at this point, save the most complicated which may take five to ten attempts. Knowing you, you'll still want to practice all the forms from then on, but believe me when I say you will have _already_ mastered them. Your Assassin level is already over one-hundred, after all. Remember that with the chef skill you are starting at level zero."

Soujirou was sitting stiffly, he was so excited. "You mean...because our fighting skills are already high enough level, we will already --"

"You are already a Master of whatever new sword form you choose to use - once you've visualized it and programmed it into your body and allowed it to act on it a sufficient number of times for it to accept it understands it the way you want it to." Purrcy affirmed, nodding. "I said you were coming at it backwards because you were trying to get the body to tell you what it was learning, when _you_ needed to tell it what you wanted it to learn. It works both way. The latter is much faster." Soujirou was as excited as Akatsuki.

Purrcy turned to Nazuna. "There is another side to this being a 'natural Adventurer'. The body does teach us things it already knows, if we let it. It's frightening, what we went through when the body said it would be real and natural in the matter of being forced into heat. I'm not suggesting that be repeated. I am suggesting that if we can move past the fear of that specific instance, there are things the natural and real body can teach us that will be of great benefit. Nyanta has been working on learning them from me, and I'm quite envious. As a felinoid of over level one hundred learning those things, he comes by them very easily, where I learned them still at the lower levels and had to work harder."

"How to hunt prey, how to evade predators, how to properly climb up and down trees, how to run and fight with the animal body, not just the half-beast one - all of these are part of letting the body have control while the mind sits and watches and learns from it until those skills are also integrated into the whole. Anything you think a fox should be able to do, it probably can. Again, if you visualize what that might be, then set the body to doing it for you, it will do it. The higher level tasks, you'll be required to feel in the body as the mind plays it out each step of the way before actually beginning it, until both are in agreement with the proper path and motions to take. Then it's the same. Set the body to doing it, and with just enough attention from the mind, it will do it. Eventually, the actions become automatic and changeable as necessary. The more you do this, the more you learn to trust your own body."

Purrcy stood then was instantly the large cat, standing in front of them. "Every beast-half can transform into the full beast." She shrank to house cat size and lept up on the couch again. The other pair couldn't take their eyes off her. She continued down to kitten. "Every beast-half can change size, from the upper bound to the lower, and push past them slightly with effort for brief periods of time." She was suddenly felinoid again, sitting on the couch, facing them slightly. They blinked, startled. "It takes a bit of time to figure out how to return out to the original beast-half form, but going into the full form often takes place without you even knowing it's happened."

Nazuna slumped and put her hands over her eyes and her shoulders shook. Soujirou rubbed her back comfortingly. "She spent most of the last two months before you took out the Plague Master in her fox form," he said quietly. "It was that we were most afraid for. We thought she wouldn't come back."

Purrcy was back to housecat and walking over to stand in Nazuna's lap. She touched Nazuna's nose with hers. "It's nothing to fear. It's the most natural thing and is very recoverable from, as you've seen from my example, and your own." She rubbed her head against Nazuna's face and purred. "I also spent most of my time as full cat. It made life easier on the men...even Nyanta, who couldn't transform yet at the time."

Nyanta shifted slightly. "I've just come from visiting the Beast-half of the Land villages. They all live in them in their full beast forms, save for the occasional visitor, or when official business needs to be transacted between them. They were rather surprised when I chose to transform into half early at the first village, but it was because I didn't know how and had been working at purracticing it. They arrived to fetch me just after I'd figured it out, so I felt it not the purroper time to change back. I might not have made it back in time to be purroperly presentable to the elder." He smiled slightly. "It took another three weeks to get it automatic, though it did get easier with each purractice. I was also surprised by the transformation to full cat, not expecting it. Purrcy didn't warn me."

Nazuna scolded Purrcy with her eyes for Nyanta. Purrcy's ear went down in apology. "I couldn't at the time and hadn't thought of it before. He began his practice without me present." Nyanta patted the couch next to him and Purrcy returned, sitting up next to him, her tail curled around to rest on her front paws. He pet her lightly a few times.

"This also needs careful handling," Shiroe said, taking back over. "Having been presented with the possibility that we can be made to become fully real here in this place, we wish to begin training in particular the beast-halves in how to be their beast half. If we start at this concept that it's just as natural for the body to know things we can learn from, I believe we can get them to be willing to come to training at the Academy. As part of that training, I want to ease them into lessons on how to act appropriately for if it happens again. Purrcy has been working on lesson plans for that specifically. When you have the outline put together, she'll work with you on fitting those lessons in."

"Part of the reason I sent Nyanta to open relations with the Beast-half of the Land villages was so that if our beast-halves either refuse to play nice or can't control themselves properly, then we can send them to those villages to be properly trained, or restrained. I don't know yet how many villages will allow that, as I feel it's for later negotiations after they trust us enough to be willing to grant us aid. Prior to that, I also wish for Nyanta and Purrcy, or any other delegation we send, to be able to ask the more sensitive questions that Nyanta wasn't able to get answers to in the first visit, such as, 'how do they deal with a female in heat that isn't mated yet'? If we can understand how they do it, we'll know better how we should deal with it ourselves."

Both Nazuna and Soujirou nodded in complete understanding and agreement. After a bit of silence, Soujirou said, "This - this is rather astounding. Both things; both sides of the matter. Learning how the body and mind are separate and work together in ways not previously understood. But...it makes sense, in the same way the Mysteries do and it is just as complicated to comprehend, the same as how the resurrection can even be possible." The others nodded agreement. "But, you've explained it so well, even to having the process to open another person's eyes to not only comprehending it but being able to immediately put it into practice."

He rose and bowed low to Purrcy. "Thank you very much. I am in your debt, as is all of West Wind Brigade. We will treasure your knowledge given to us today, and treat it with proper respect." He rose from the bow and looked at Shiroe. "Thank you for your trust, again. We'll hold to your wishes and very carefully plan how to teach it to the other Adventurers. When we've come up with a proposal, we'll bring it for your review."

"Thank you, Souji," Shiroe said solemnly. "I truly feel that this one lesson will revolutionize everything Adventurers are and do in Theldesia. We will explode with new growth completely unprecedented. It needs to happen soon, but it also needs to be a controlled explosion, lest it be too destructive to survive."

"I'm in complete agreement," Soujirou said with a nod. He sat back down and lifted his tea cup to drink from it, his mind obviously moving very quickly.

"Guildmaster, if you'd like, we can go experiment until the wedding rehearsal is called for," Akatsuki offered.

Soujirou looked at her sharply, then nodded. "I would like that." He looked at Nazuna.

The fox-tail looked torn and she looked at Purrcy with uncertain eyes. "You're welcome to join us on the porch, Nazuna," Purrcy offered kindly. "Nyanta can explain how he understood how to change properly between the two forms and we'd be willing to sit with you as you try. I'm sure in the end you'd rather be able to control shifting between the two than always be afraid you'll end up back as fox and unable to return on your own."

Nazuna looked at Soujirou and he nodded. She looked back and answered, "I think I would like that very much." The five rose and bowed to Shiroe and left the room. Shiroe sighed as the door clicked closed behind them. He was glad they'd been able to learn how to help Nazuna more.

He wasn't able to quite relax about the knowledge now being out of the guild as to how the natural Adventurer worked, but it was in the best hands he knew to put it into, and in the best way he had available to get it out to everyone else. He hoped it all worked out the way he wanted it to. He was going to intend it with all his might every time he continued to think about it. That was about all he could do now that might have any effect, except review the lesson plans. He rose from the couch and returned to his desk. There were things of his own to be doing until the wedding rehearsal.


	6. Sister Guilds

Serera bustled about the large rock grill that had been built by her guild with the help of her friends in Log Horizon. It was modeled after the grills they already built, but Purrcy's large grill had been used to size this one. The males had been competitive and had built this one larger, though Serera had scolded them since it only spread the heat out and made it somewhat harder to cook on. It took three cooks, and sometimes four, to reach all the food on it to see it didn't burn. When she complained though, the males - always hungry - pointed out that they did have four chefs, plus her and Minori, so it was sufficient. She couldn't argue that point, though it did make her frustrated on occasion.

It had been nice to have the new warriors join Log Horizon in this regard. They all loved grilling out and happily joined in on it, raising their cooking levels quickly so they could. That meant she could go back to a supervisory role - or assistant, whichever seemed needed at the moment. Right now, she was just coming from teaching what she herself had only just learned - how to make Nyanta's sauce recipe. It sounded like the warriors of Log Horizon were already talking about how they'd change the recipe and a few had put their hand to it and now there were about four different sauces, including one dubbed 'five alarm'. She didn't intend to try that one and she had let them know already to keep any meat seasoned with that one strictly separated out from the rest.

She was rather surprised at herself. She could tell she had grown during Nyanta's absence. She wasn't so reliant on his strength, and had begun to move forward. In talking about it with Minori, she had been relieved to know it was part of the healing process as well and she shouldn't hold herself back. That had helped her to continue moving forward. While on occasion the ache came back, particularly today, it was something she was learning to treasure gently when it appeared and to gently let go when it had been acknowledged sufficiently long.

Getting to see and talk to Nyanta this morning without Purrcy in the room, but with Minori present to strengthen her, had been as bittersweet as might be expected. It had been sweet to talk with him again; the pain of her loss had been bitter. She was glad to have had the time and be given regard by him. She was just as glad they'd let her go kindly when she'd excused herself, allowing her to choose her comfort level. She paused and took a breath, not for the first time this evening. When the wedding party arrived, she'd have to face Purrcy again, and her with him.

Knowing where they were wasn't too helpful either. She'd offered to head the barbecue almost in a desperate attempt to keep herself busy during this time. It had helped somewhat - it was rather intensive - but still she was hit with blinding flashes of pain and anxiety. She was glad for her guildmates. If she was ever paralyzed too long, one came along to gently help her out of her fearful stupor and get her moving again.

As odd as it might have seemed to others, she was actually looking forward to having Purrcy there, on one level. Serera wanted to be reminded of why she was glad Purrcy was next to Nyanta. Being able to see that again, to feel again the taste of what she had gotten whispers of each time before - she wanted to understand that feeling better, and have it be what took the place of the bitter in the bitter-sweet she felt when she was around, or just thought of, Nyanta. Even if it didn't take all of it, less would be better than what she had in her now. Seeing them together at the meeting had helped with that some, but it was different when they were relaxed together. Serera was certain she'd see it tonight. At least she hoped so. They weren't doing the cooking, so who knew, but they should hold to their patterns, right?

Serera pushed the anxiety down again and rotated the vegetables again. A call from a chef farther down sent her back inside to the kitchens, and hunting for something else forgotten and required. Shortly after she returned to the grill, empty chairs appeared to the Log Horizon side of the grill. The atmosphere was suddenly higher in anticipation. Even her heart rate increased a little. Along with others, she looked timidly towards the direction their guests were expected from.

"Ah, it's the usual formation," one of her guildmates commented. He was taller than she was and was looking over towards the expected direction.

Serera had walked in it once, but she craned her neck anyway to see it from the outside. Her friends led, then it was Guildmaster Shiroe and Miss Purrcy in the middle, their intended's on the outside of them, the three men in the back, and around them scattered probably half the warriors - the other half being here with Crescent Moon and helping with cooking and setting up. Serera could see Purrcy was as beautiful as ever, and Nyanta looked content as always. That was nice.

Serera looked away to make sure her skewers weren't burning. She remembered why Purrcy was always put in the middle. She wondered if it was still for that reason - because she was dangerous to the city. Probably. Purrcy hadn't changed who she was after all. One didn't change Class in just a few months just because one wanted to. She hadn't had so many guards on her the afternoon before, though, so perhaps she was a little better this time around.

There was the increase of noise that accompanies the arrival of a group of persons. Serera suddenly heard an unexpected set of voices and looked over again. Somehow, in only looking for Purrcy and Nyanta she'd missed a few others in the group. "Souji, Nazuna, will you stay to have dinner with us?" Shiroe was offering.

"We would hate to impose," Soujirou deprecated.

"No, it wouldn't," Akatsuki said in her quiet voice. She'd also been getting stronger, Serera had noticed, ever since she'd been able to be comfortable with knowing Shiroe returned her feelings. (Serera's heart clenched ever so slightly again and she returned to listening to the conversation to distract herself again.) "I'd like to answer any more questions you have."

"As would I," Purrcy offered.

"Well..., is this a place we can do that?" Soujirou asked doubtfully.

"Yes," Purrcy's smile was in her voice. "All these already know it. Remember I said it, the twins were my first experiment to see if it could be taught to others. It has spread to all of them. There are few secrets within the guilds here when it comes to such useful tools."

Nazuna chuckled an alto sound. "That's not surprising. And you're not very good at keeping them either, are you?"

"Me?" Purrcy asked in surprise. There was a pause. "Well...I do a lot of talking, so I suppose you'd think that." Serera glanced up to see that most people had reacted in one way or the other to that statement.

Shiroe broke the awkwardness before it could go very far. "Come sit down over here and join us. You need to eat dinner anyway. We won't keep you longer than you can stay."

When Serera next looked up and around at what was going on, the six had been seated together on the far right from her, Marielle and Naotsugu also seated near them, but at the border between the two guilds. ...Not that they were segregated by any means, it had just been conveniently open in that space for Log Horizon's chairs to be put there.

"Hey, Serera!" "Hello, Serera."

Serera looked up to see her friends standing opposite her on the other side of the grill. She gave them a small grin. "Hello. Welcome. I'll bet you're hungry."

"Starved, when it comes to barbecue!" Touya agreed.

"We have been looking forward to this delectable aroma since yesterday. Even my dreams last night danced with delicious meat skewers," Rudy said expansively as always. "I'm so glad we get to eat such a scrumptious meal before we must be subjected to three whole days - or more - of a diet consisting solely of a fall vegetable...the lowly pumpkin."

Serera giggled. "Well, at least it will be gone after that, for the most part." She tipped her head. "I wonder what grilled pumpkin would taste like with the barbecue sauce on it?"

"Butter for me," said a voice behind her. She whipped around and a hand came down gently on her shoulder to steady her. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. I happen to like pumpkin like any other winter squash, merely cooked to tenderness and smothered in butter with salt added. My daughter really enjoyed adding brown sugar, but that made most of them too sweet for me." Purrcy was smiling gently. "It looks like you've got cooking the vegetable skewers mastered, Serera. Thank you for cooking for us tonight."

"N-n-no. I'm happy to do it." Serera wasn't sure how to handle her heart since it wasn't settling down very well. "We've had several opportunities to cook out on the grill since it was built."

"It's marvelous," Purrcy said. "I can tell many hands built it. I stopped mine at the size it is because I got tired of building it all by myself. I wonder how many we could feed if we had them both out."

Serera stared at her in almost horror. "It's hard enough to prevent everything from burning with four chefs on this one. To have even more...." She felt slightly faint.

Purrcy laughed. "Well, there is that, but I think there's enough hands here?" Serera looked down the row and Purrcy wasn't wrong. There were actually more like seven standing at the grill now.

"Well...there is that, isn't there?" Serera said a little surprised.

Purrcy winked at her, then turned to ask loudly, "So...next time shall it be a cook-off?"

Heads whipped around to look at her and Serera could see the challenge light up the eyes of the men as they all agreed with great vigor. "I had no idea all of you liked to grill," she smiled at her warriors.

"Hoobah!" they all roared.

"When did you get time, on that postage stamp?" she asked them. They all laughed at her.

"It was when on shore, of course. We missed it so bad while on board that we got into the practice then," one of the closer men answered her.

"Well, that makes sense. I'll put my grill out next time with this one and we'll invite a larger crowd to help us eat it all. You all just have to make sure we have enough meat to cover your needs." As men started strutting and posturing with proud words, Purrcy turned back to Serera. "We'll let them cook next time and sit it out. They won't want vegetables to mar their competition, after all." Purrcy winked.

Serera gave her a one-sided wry grin. "Especially if it's within the month after the Pumpkin Festival." Everyone laughed in agreement with that.

"Could you use another hand to keep these turning?" Purrcy asked.

Serera looked at her in surprise. "Well, it's your dinner to relax, isn't it?"

Purrcy tipped her head. "I don't relax well, particularly when I'm nervous. I was hoping for some distraction, really."

Serera frowned slightly. "Nervous?" Her friends shifted and gave her pleading looks, except Minori also gave an apologetic hand sign. "Well, it does look like the others would rather watch over the meat than the vegetables," she admitted. "Maybe I've made too many to begin with."

Purrcy looked over her shoulder at the waiting trays on the table behind them. "Well, they look delicious to me, regardless. I must say, too, that my favorite thing about being here, when it comes to cooking, is that nothing has to be wasted. Any that don't get eaten can go into the list and be pulled out still piping hot to be eaten as a snack later."

"Talk about dango-to-go," Isuzu commented pleasantly.

Purrcy nodded enthusiastically. Serera smiled a slow smile. "That's true." She looked back at Purrcy. "Well, I'll thank you for some help so we don't burn too many then, since we can savor them later if any remain at the end."

"Thank you, Serera," Purrcy said humbly. Suddenly she was dressed in the same grilling outfit she'd worn the time before, including the apron, and tongs were in her hand. She raised her tongs. "Onward! Forward! ...To battle!" Her tongs came down and attacked a skewer and deftly flipped it over. She grinned. " _The Hobbit_ when the three armies attempt to begin the battle outside Smog's cave after he's been thrown down. ...Only we'll hope the goblins don't show up tonight. They can eat three times what we can, and I think the hungry male Adventurers would fight hard to keep all of this to themselves." Serera could only agree.

Dinner went about how most barbecues go, with the cooks having to sneak in skewers whenever they could...which often meant at the end. But this time, Purrcy was handing Serera half-skewers of meat to go with the one of vegetables she'd gotten in when she got just too hungry. After the third, all of which had tasted different, Serera looked at Purrcy, then past her to see what was going on. One of the farther down warriors was walking towards them with another meat skewer in his hand. "Ma'am, will you taste mine too?" he offered Purrcy the skewer in his hand.

Serera suddenly had her hand on Purrcy's arm, restraining her. "Ah...is that the 'five alarm' one?" she asked the man.

He rubbed his head and wouldn't meet her eyes. "Oh, ho. You've found a way to add in a hot spice to it?" Purrcy asked. "I didn't think this world had such a thing?"

"It does," he said, finally admitting it was the one Serera dreaded. "We found it rather by accident."

"I'll say it's a poison then," Serera said firmly.

"You don't like?" Purrcy asked. Serera shook her head vigorously. Purrcy looked back at the warrior. "I don't usually, either, to be honest, but I am very curious as to what you found and how well it works. Spices and flavorings are one of the first experiments here but also the hardest to find, sometimes. I'll try one, but that's probably going to be my limit, I'm afraid."

He looked pleased enough with that. Purrcy carefully slid the end piece of meat off the skewer with her teeth then chewed it to savor the flavor. She nodded, and handed the skewer back, then was holding a mug. When the meat was down, she drank deeply from the mug. "Definitely too hot for me," she said, "but that's very intriguing. Go collect more of it, enough we can powder it up and sell it. Japanese aren't fond of hot and spicy, but Chinese like it and even more the Indian's. If ours is just distinct enough we'll have a wide open market --" she paused to drink again, "-- when we get there, and of course there's the other side. I'm sure the Mexicans and Cajun chefs would welcome it as well."

He was suddenly sober. "...Ma'am...do you intend to take us there, too? Really?"

"Yes, I do," she said seriously. "Even if we can't get home, we'll get over there. Whatever piece Shiroe and I are missing on this side to getting us home will have been found there. Collaboration with them is of highest priority. We'll be counting on you lot to get us there, since you're the only ones that have done that trip before, on either planet, from all the Adventurers here on this one."

His eyes went misty and she reached out a hand and held his forearm until he recovered and nodded. She smiled kindly then released him. He bowed just slightly and returned to his portion of the grill. Purrcy returned to her section as well. Serera looked at her for a time, then went back to her own turning of skewers, thoughtful. Finally she looked up at Purrcy. "You'll be gone an awfully long time," she said timidly. Purrcy glanced up at her, but kept working, not answering yet. "Will all of Log Horizon go with you?"

The silence continued for a while. "I don't know." Purrcy flipped over a few more skewers. "It's possible, if we have the gates understood by then, that I'll just take some Technicians and we'll get the gates operable. Then they can come through the gates and return when needed, so they don't have to be gone so long. The Eagles and I, though...we'll go the long route...particularly to get home and see what happened over there at the time of the catastrophe."

Serera froze briefly, then said shakily. "Y-you, too? Over there is home for you, too?"

Purrcy flipped a sober, almost severe look at Serera. "Yes," she said shortly. "Don't tell. Log Horizon knows. You know now. No one else should."

Serera finally understood fully why Purrcy walked the protected center. She shook her head, eyes wide and mouth pursed tightly closed. Nyanta was a very strong man to be able to even consider marrying an American. Serera glanced at him. He was watching the two of them and his expression seemed just a little worried. As her eyes met his, he rose and walked smoothly over to join them. He gave Purrcy a little kiss, but looked at Serera. Putting a soft paw on her head, he asked softly, "Nyan. Is everything alright?"

Serera looked up at him, not quite sure what to say. "I'm afraid I let my home country slip," Purrcy said quietly in explanation. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, is that what it is?" Nyanta asked, his expression going soft for Serera. "If mew'll just keep it quiet, it'll be alright, Serera-chan."

Serera paused, then shook her head. "It's not that...not really...it's more that she's planning on going to the other side of the world and leaving this place for that long. It takes a long time by ship to get there, doesn't it? And then to travel the whole continent --"

"-- or two," Purrcy added.

"It seems...a bit overwhelming," Serera ended lamely. "It could take many tens of years, couldn't it?"

Nyanta's shoulders slumped. Both he and Serera were suddenly enveloped in Purrcy's arms. "I'm quite sure it isn't that long. And if we can solve it all here sooner, we can all go home sooner and I won't have to go there. And maybe shortly after we get our gates up and running, they will too and we won't have to go by ship. There are many unknowns still. It's too soon to be sorrowful and grieve. We make general plans for the future, but we can only walk one day at a time. Be at peace tonight. Tonight we're all together and have a wonderfully delicious meal, even if my mouth does still hurt." Her arms tightened around the two of them and she planted a kiss on Serera's head, then on Nyanta's cheek.

Serera held them both tightly as well. She would hope for a less dramatic solution herself. She felt Nyanta's hand slide down from the top of her head to rest on her upper back, then he was hugging the both of them as well. Serera looked up at him, her eyes clear and bright. "I'm learning to walk one day at a time into the future," she told them. "...Thank you for helping me."

"If we can be of any strength at all...," Purrcy said kindly.

"We are happy to see mew grow," Nyanta finished.

Serera couldn't see anymore for the tears filling her eyes. They both held her closely as she finally cried her loneliness at being ripped away from her parents on Earth. She couldn't think of Purrcy leaving them. It hurt as much as having to think of her own mother missing from her life.

It was true. In the end...she wanted Nyanta and Purrcy to be together. Together they were happy...and Serera could be, too, particularly when she was feeling homesick otherwise. "Welcome home," she whispered through her tears. "I've missed you - both."

Nyanta rubbed her head again and Purrcy kissed her again. "Thank you, Serera-chan. We are glad to be home."

-:-:-:-:-

Marielle sighed a happy sigh and leaned back into Naotsugu's arm. He tucked her in closer, wrapping his strong arm around her. "Well, I'm glad to see that's settled, for the most part, then," she said to him.

He kissed her cheek. "Hahaue's like that, you know."

"Yeah, I know," she answered. "I'm glad Serera-chan knows now, too."

"I think she already did, though," Minori said from behind them. She looked down at them, since she'd been standing behind them, watching too. "She was fretting, but we could tell it wasn't for Nyanta-san so much, though he's part of what she needs, too. She always was the most relaxed when she was with them both in the kitchen. Even at the last barbecue Miss Purrcy was with us, she enjoyed herself most when she was with them both." She gave a wry look. "But then, we all feel that way, so we figured she did, too." She looked away, a shadow coming over her face. "It's really hard on us, those of us who had loving parents and family. I'm lucky I got to come with my brother. Really lucky."

Marielle reached up a hand and grasped Minori's hand. "We're all here with you, Minori-chan. I know it's not the same, and I do hope they can fill that hole for you, but we are all here with you, too. It's made us all family in a way one wouldn't ever think of it happening. And it helps to know that our family here is working to help us get back to the ones over there."

Minori looked down at the hand holding hers and nodded, but she couldn't say anything for a while. Finally she said quietly, "I'm glad the wedding's soon. Then it can feel official." She looked over towards her guildmaster, then said her goodbyes and walked over to sit near him and talk quietly with him.

Marielle watched after her, then checked on Serera again. Her own guild-daughter was back at work, taking off the last of the vegetable skewers with Purrcy, putting them on a platter held by Nyanta. Marielle looked back at Naotsugu with a sigh. He rubbed the back of his free hand down her cheek. "They're your parents here, too, you know."

She gave him a sad smile. "I know." She glanced at Minori again. "Do you think she's asking him to make the adoption a little more formal, too?"

Naotsugu glanced at Minori in a bit of surprise, then looked back at her. "Would you?"

Marielle looked at him, then thought about it. With a sigh, she put her head on his chest. "I don't know. I'd already left home, after all. Thinking of it as in-laws is probably enough...but...if they left I'd be sad. I _was_ sad," she said, almost angry about it again. "And they aren't even in my guild and all I get most of the time is scolded."

Naotsugu chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Until she came home this time. She loves you, too, you know."

Marielle sighed. After a bit she said, "I guess I'm glad she does. It helps."

"Umhm," he agreed quietly. They sat in companionable silence for a while after that.

"And I'm glad you love me, too. That helps a lot," she said suddenly.

Naotsugu flushed. "Thanks. It helps to hear that. I'm still not sure what you see in me, but I'm glad you've decided to love me too."

Marielle held him tightly until she was required for whatever random thing the guild needed next and they had to go take care of it. She was glad that he went with her, though. His quiet, strong presence was an anchor for her, really.

-:-:-:-:-

Marielle paced her office and found her hands were wringing themselves again. She clenched them instead. The wringing was starting to make them hurt. She really wasn't sure why she was so nervous. This was an official visit, so that must be it. Official visits of any kind always made her nervous, no matter who she was visiting with. Just as breakfast was ending, she'd received a chat from Tetorō. She must be on every Log Horizon guild member's list now, really, except Purrcy's maybe, since Tetorō - it turned out - had been calling on her behalf to request this meeting.

Henrietta had almost lost it, at yet another interruption by Purrcy, but it was not only completely understandable, it was almost necessary this time, and part of the preparations, too. So Henrietta had made sure Marielle knew what the plan was, then left to go take care of things out in the streets. Now Marielle was pacing in her office while waiting, hoping she could remember it all and face down Purrcy by herself...or whatever she was supposed to do when Purrcy arrived.

A quiet chat in her ear warned her they were on their way to her office, one of the suites on the main floor of the guild hall (Henrietta had the other, and the other half was the kitchen and dining hall). Marielle took a deep breath and moved to sit at her desk. Henrietta had insisted she start strong at least, even if she did "end up a puddle on the floor in the end". Marielle wasn't sure about the lack of confidence her friend had in her, but she supposed she had earned it.

There was a knock on the door and it opened to allow Purrcy and Tetorō to enter. "Marie, thank you for seeing me this morning. I know things are busy for you, so I'll not keep you long," Purrcy was all business right away. Official business and formal Purrcy were this way.

"It's no trouble, really," Marielle answered, holding her hands tightly in front of her. "You said you wanted to talk about the student ceremony at the festival?"

"Yes, please, and perhaps an outline of a few other things coming up," Purrcy said, taking the seat opposite Marielle. Tetorō took the seat next to her and pulled out a clipboard and pen, reminding Marielle that the very first day he'd been appointed Purrcy's assistant and secretary. No wonder he'd been the one to call. In her own busy days she'd already forgotten. "Can you tell me what it is you're planning for the ceremony?" Purrcy asked.

"Well...it seemed like the day of the explosions over the city that it was you, and that you were testing everyone, including the students. We knew about the Hackers, because of Tetorō and Michael, but after investigating it, we discovered you'd done testing on the Technicians and others as well. Shiroe asked for us to have some kind of a 'graduation' ceremony on the second day of the festival, after the joint press conference of the city councils. He wanted to use whatever they'd 'passed' as an opportunity to put the Akiba Adventurer Academy into the public eye again."

"We've been working with the Minami Job Corps to draw new students from Minami for our classes here. We'll use the ceremony to let them know we're serious, producing results, and would be a good place for them to come and learn things that might help them continue to move forward. We're expecting a good number to come, based on that office's expectations. Mostly it's those who've been trying things but not coming up with something that's a good fit yet. We're putting together a survey class that will run for the first week after the festival is cleaned up from. Then we'll let them choose what direction they'd like to study. Since most of them aren't likely to have much gold to pay for the classes, we thought we'd dorm them up at the Academy and have them perform cleaning, cooking, and other similar duties as part of their pay. When they get to the practical part of their lessons, a portion of their gain can then be put towards payment of classes and room rent."

Marielle knew she was rambling, but Purrcy was letting her and closely following, her ears pricked forward in interest. _So it must be okay, right?_ her sweating self hoped. She paused and Purrcy asked another question. "Are you still teaching just the three sub-classes courses, or have you added in other kinds?"

Marielle took a breath and launched into the sales pitch they'd been giving people for the last month to get them to come to the Academy, about all the other wonderful things being taught and learned there, most of it from out of Roderick Trading Company's research that West Wind Brigade had formalized, and a few military training classes Honesty had been willing to put together for them so they could get the fighter Classes to come, too. "We've been working on a beginning survey of crafter classes for this next round, since we figure most Adventurers already know how to fight, if they like to, but the ones who aren't sure what they want to do might benefit from knowing what other skills are available to learn and hands-on experience would teach them quickly what they could be interested in doing."

Purrcy sat back, a satisfied look on her face. "You've been working hard. Thank you."

Marielle slumped in relief inside. She hadn't forgotten the one most important thing about facing Purrcy this day, even though Henrietta had said it at least ten times before leaving. "Purrcy is the _Dean_. She can't be disappointed."

Purrcy looked at Tetorō. "Since Marie doesn't have a secretary to help her today, please copy the notes from this meeting so she has them for reference later." Tetorō nodded. Purrcy looked back at Marielle who was trying to take a deep breath without taking one. "For the ceremony at the festival - no one has technically 'graduated' yet. Honestly, we haven't even set up the requirements for what a 'graduate' is. That may take a full year for us to comprehend, in the end, so don't stress out about that level of things just yet. Your current build-up is sufficient, though I'm going to add to it today. For now, please just have certificates of completion ready to be handed out at the ceremony." A list appeared on Marielle's desk. "Here are the names of the students and their levels of completion as based on my testing the other day. It would be nice if we could say it was a graduation ceremony, but we'll have to make due with this level this time."

"Have someone with a nice, pleasant voice read the list off. I'll hand the certificate to the student, but you and Guildmaster Soujirou should also be on the stand for handshakes and congratulations. In that way we'll keep it like a graduation. The longer we keep it going and have pomp and circumstance, the more people will pass by and see it. I assume you're having it in a public forum?"

Marielle nodded. "Yes. We're going to use the stage set up for plays and presentations."

"Good," Purrcy nodded. "Somewhere in there, you should allow time for me to speak, both in recognition of the classes, and also to sell what's coming up next. I'll take as long as you give me, but anything shorter than five minutes is too short. You and Guildmaster Soujirou may speak if you wish." She tapped a finger.

"Which reminds me. I wanted to let you know that when Shiroe has me come to the Round Table meetings with him, whenever he asks the Academy to speak, please let me protect you. As Dean, when I'm present, it's my responsibility to be the one to answer for the Academy. If you think an issue will come up, please inform me beforehand so I can answer correctly." Marielle blinked, then nodded. She hadn't considered that Shiroe would even have Purrcy come to those meetings.

"I've been talking to Shiroe about a series of classes that I do feel is absolutely essential to be having. He's agreed with me. I'd like to flesh them out a little more with you, then let you put together a suggested course list with potential teachers for them. It will take a month or so of discussions, I would think, to get fully implemented, so it's just a note for your mind to be contemplating for this coming week." Marielle nodded that she understood.

"We - our guild and yours - have a large number of real children in them. Shiroe is working to get us all home. We have no idea how long in that world we will have been gone by the time we get back. If we return the children to their parents illiterate and years have passed, we will be looked down upon. I believe we cannot allow that to happen. If they were only allowed to play like wild creatures, then there will be a large public outcry - particularly in countries like Japan where the education of its citizens is extremely important." Marielle's eyes flew open wide.

"I've asked the children in Log Horizon to add to their activities today by taking a survey of all the other children in town. They are collecting data such as age, grade in school when they left, guild they are in, and area of preferred study. This is general, not specific, survey data. Later you may wish to make a more formal survey. At this time, I just want to know the age range we have, how many within the ages, where the largest clusters are, and if some are ready for specific studies or if they are still general. I'm concerned that there are others whose Adventurer bodies are over twenty but inside they are ten through thirteen. We all know that there were plenty of liars on that end as well." Marielle's face fell. It was true.

"I don't know how we'll know unless they'll tell us, but perhaps a start could be by talking to the guildmasters specifically, or to the tavern and inn keepers for those not in guilds. Immaturity will always be shown in actions and words. If they can feel that they aren't going to be in trouble for it, but that we want to be helpful, maybe they'll be willing to admit to it and let us help them. I would also look through those who are not guilded and are very shy. Send your best, and West Wind Brigade's best, to bring those in." Purrcy turned to Tetorō. "Ah, add that as a side note. I may want to add a potion that returns Adventurers to their correct age." He nodded and made a note on a separate piece of paper on his clipboard.

"Right now, I'm thinking that the class work should be either two days a week, or should only be mornings so that they still have time for their other works they need or want to be doing. Really, we don't need to replicate the public school system. They are getting lots of learning out of just being here and having to learn how to live on their own. I would just like to see they continue moving forward in the studies that are important."

"You'll need to decide if national and world history is important to continue, but I know there are many Adventurers who are here because they enjoy that topic and could be brought in to teach it, Guildmaster Soujirou a case in point. Definitely any reading and writing that is necessary should be continued. If you have interest from anyone for continuing to learn English, the entire Eagles sub-guild is from America and could be called on when they are here. For mathematics, I have a specific course I am currently putting together that I will spearhead, but it isn't the basics. If any of the children still need basic math, you'll need to consider it. I'm sure it will also depend on there being any teachers available for the higher levels of mathematics, since most people graduate and promptly forget it." Marielle slumped a little, chastened, since she was one of those forgetful people.

"Even if they aren't up to grade level by the time they return home, if we've done what we can, it will make a difference to their parents and the world in general, not to mention to them. Even if they've learned a strength from being here, if they feel left behind there, it may be lost to them. I would hate to see that."

"Me, too," agreed Marielle. "I think this is a marvellous plan to move forward on. I've actually been thinking around it myself. As you say, we do have many children here. Now that they are all strong as far as levels go, it only seems right to make them strong in the ways of adults as well."

"Indeed," Purrcy agreed. "It will benefit them here and at home, and it will benefit us. ...So that you know, I am also working on creating a way for them to physically grow up here. It is perhaps a minor point, but for a human to look like a child when inside they are an adult is extremely difficult - Akatsuki is a point to this matter. Our children won't be able to really become adults here, or even there, if they haven't grown and been treated as such. Each stage of growth, each age, is important to mental health and social comprehension. Already they should be two years taller, two years more mature than they arrived, and they aren't. I don't want them to fall behind any more."

Marielle slumped. Softly she said, "Yes, please. I've been scolded even more on that point than any other in the last months. I always have called them children and they are feeling mature from all the lessons they've learned and strength they've gained that it's now an insult to them. It makes me sad, since I do love them like children...but it is time for them and all of us to recognize them for what they are, not what the avatar makes them look like."

"Just so," Purrcy said kindly. She paused. When Marielle could look up at her again, Purrcy smiled, then changed the subject. "There is one other thing that I would like to do with the Academy. I would like to use it as an experimental location for financial lessons. My course I'm putting together is in that field, and all four of our children are going to be required to attend it. The Academy will be the actual hands on experiment for us adults, and Shiroe and I hope to be able to use it regularly." Purrcy shifted, folding her hands in her lap. "That is, it will be the first place to be granted a loan that it will have to repay."

Marielle's eyes opened wide. "A - a loan?"

"Yes. This world does not come with a lending feature. We would like to see that corrected, but we need to understand how to make it work properly. In particular, you know that Shiroe plans on buying all the zones of Yamato he can, to return them to the land." Marielle nodded. "When we buy the zones of cities of People of the Land, or even farmers and turn it over to the land, what gain do we have? Only the loss of the gold. Just like in Minami where taking away the need to earn money destroyed the economy and good will of the people, so too will be the free gift of land to those who are on it. So far, the giving of land rights has only been done as part of concessions or for selfish gain or personal ownership. As we move forward, however, that will be the case less and less often."

"In the case of the Academy, you are currently trying to raise money to pay for the building and eventually lands around it. To some degree, you can go stumping for grant money, but at some level, the school should have responsibility for itself. Even you understand this." Marielle nodded. "Yet, we also all know that to allow it to languish until you have the full sum in hand is to court disaster if for some odd reason someone wanted to control us, Adventurers, or the school." Marielle nodded again. "If we were to grant the school a loan for a portion of the cost of the zones, and you were to go fund raising for the rest of it - either through grants or other loans - then it could be purchased more immediately. Then the school would bear the continuing responsibility to repay the loans - which it would anyway, but now each amount earned could be paid in increments, rather than having to sit tucked away in the bank until the full sum was reached."

Marielle blinked. "It sounds like a good idea," she said cautiously.

Purrcy nodded. "Tell Henrietta. She'll be able to tell you just how good or bad an idea. And tell her, yes, we expect an interest rate on the loan. The eventual goal is to earn enough to buy all Yamato, after all. This will be her thought assignment for us to discuss after the festival is completed. That is: what interest rates would be useful, repayment terms, how much should be by loan and how much by grant, or other fundraising methods. You'll need to work on fundraisers in general - ones that can be used immediately to bring in large amounts at the beginning, and on-going ones to bring in regular revenue for course upgrades as well as savings for the leaner months so that you don't have to default on the loan. I think Shiroe is thinking that he will assign free rights of use on a loaned zone until it is paid off in full, then he will assign the zone to the land at that time, but that's his area not mine."

"Oh, and one more thing," Purrcy shifted forward, indicating she was near the end of her visit. "I suspect you and Crescent Moon continue to put on these festivals free of charge. Perhaps you feel like everyone is putting in the work, but of all of them, only you don't receive a monetary compensation for it. Because all the others are merchants, they do. Please consider how you are going to begin to be compensated from now on. Even if all you do is add on one more gold per rental of small booth, two for medium, three for large, and then an event fee for every event you help produce, that would be acceptable. You cannot continue to work for free or all of you will burn out and become very angry. This is your work, not just your joy. Those who are paid for their joy are the happiest of all people. Do not continue to be slaves to the others or you also will go from being Akiba's sun and flower garden to being Akiba's Plant Hwyaden."

"But...the military guilds don't either...?" Marielle protested weakly.

"Then they will also begin to become resentful. See that they are paid as well. Charge an entrance fee from everyone who enters the city - People of the Land and Adventurer alike - and use that to pay for security and clean-up. You should know, of all people, Marie, that this is how conventions work."

Marielle blushed. Her fingers were worrying themselves. She looked down. "Yes, Hahaue."

"It is perhaps too late to change the fee for the booths. Have your children visit them the second day and take up collections. Those merchants who are happy with the assistance you gave them because they are doing well will happily pay. Strong-arm them the third day and refuse to let them leave the city, or to do their clean up for them, if they won't pay at all. You can set up the entrance fee now, since we haven't started. You can also wait to negotiate how much you'll pay the fighting guilds until after it's all over and you've got a final total. From that amount, set aside something for the next one. You also know how important that is." Marielle nodded silently, still properly humble.

"It's the same for the events. Go now to each person on the list and ask them, or have Henrietta ask them, for a proper fee before you do any more work for them. If they won't pay, they have to do it themselves, and still pay a rent for their time on the various stages. For the Academy event, it should come from the Academy coffers. If it can't, bill Shiroe. For the joint press conference, charge the Round Table Council. For the fashion show, charge a minimal admission - we have to pass out raffle tickets anyway - and then also charge each house, guild, or individual who is having something on display. For my part, you should charge Calasin. He's selling the clothing so it's his to pay for. I'm only showing up to help sell it for him." Purrcy winked. "You could pay me, though, since I'll bring in more attendees than you would otherwise have had."

Marielle slowly smiled. "I do know how that works, also."

"Of course you do, dear," Purrcy rose. "If you have any more questions, please don't hesitate to contact Tetorō. If it's something I can answer right away, I will. Thank you for letting me come visit." Tetorō finished writing. His page glowed and he stood and put a copy of it on Marielle's desk.

"My pleasure," Marielle rose and stood looking at Purrcy, then she walked out from behind her desk. She hesitated a moment, then bowed. "Thank you for your votes of confidence." Purrcy was looking at her softly when Marielle looked into her eyes again. Marielle couldn't stand it any more and rushed to grab Purrcy in her arms in a big hug.

Purrcy held her in return. "It's only what you have earned for yourself already," Purrcy said quietly. "I'm very proud of you. You do work very hard." Being pet by a cat was a bit reverse, but it helped Marielle to calm down. She'd made it through the official visit all by herself, and it had really gone very well.

"Ah, Purrcy," Tetorō interrupted, "you still need to let her know about Princess Raynessia."

Marielle let go of Purrcy. "Ah, yes," Purrcy said, "thank you for reminding me. Marielle, I've asked Princess Raynessia to be my exclusive model for the fashion show. Since my newest line is based on princess fashion, I thought the non-beast-half portion would be best presented by the Princess herself. Please see she is found a suitable prince counterpart to go out with her. It's a female and male line. Nyanta is taken. He'll be escorting me. I'm sure Raynessia's preferred companion isn't available yet, but perhaps by next year he will be."

Marielle smiled a pasted on sort of smile and nodded, then saw them out the door. When they were gone, she slumped. Purrcy still hadn't forgotten, and had already moved to prevent Marielle from abusing Princess Raynessia at the fashion show. Likely it would happen for Akatsuki, too, if they tried to use her like they had in the past. Henrietta wasn't going to be pleased...but then Purrcy would be even more displeased.

Marielle pushed off the wall. Oh, well. At least Raynessia would still be in the fashion show. She was the biggest draw after all. Marielle wondered if she should be paid for her part, too. It seemed a little...uncouth. Maybe they could send it to the manor generally as a gift of gratitude, or something. Surely they needed help with their expenses as well. And slipping Raynessia a little spending cash of her own might help her feel more real, too. They'd have to handle that just right, though. It might just confuse her. It would have to be all the models, really, unless they insisted that being volunteers was okay.

Marielle smiled and fetched the papers off her desk and headed out of the guild hall to find Henrietta and give her the report. She wouldn't be happy with more work, but overall Marielle thought she'd be pleased - especially with the scolding to earn money while they worked. Maybe that's why Henrietta was so sour. She did seem to light up better when there were dollar signs in her own eyes. Maybe Marielle could sweeten the report with a promise that Henrietta would get her own little share for all her hard work and effort.

With a happy hum, Marielle skipped down the street, headed for the center of Akiba. They might have to pay everyone in the guild a little something, but they were all such good hard workers, they certainly deserved it. She hoped Purrcy's growth magic worked. They deserved that, too, and as good an education as they could give them. It felt good that Purrcy wasn't hating Akiba so much any more.


	7. The Guard's Perspective

"Shiroe! I shall go mad with boredom if I'm really to sit still for yet another day and a half before there is any more activity!" Shiroe looked up at the femfelinoid who had come sweeping into his room with said declaration. "Really, I should have waited another two days before returning - and would have if I'd known. May I return outside and play doctor until tomorrow night?"

"No." He answered calmly. "You'll be quite busy tomorrow, actually. Duke Sergiad Cowen and his retinue will arrive in Akiba tomorrow. We'll all be present to welcome him and you'll be hostessing him for the day."

"Is he married?" she asked immediately.

"I don't believe so...but don't you already know that?"

"No, why would I?" she asked.

"Hmm," he pushed his glasses back up on his face. "You seemed to know him, from before?"

"Nureha liked to crash the Court of Eternal Ice when you were all there. I believe I've met him once in a situation that he'll be extremely surprised to see me here in comparison to. I helped in the stables of the Cinderella Castle during foaling time. They actually have the largest preponderance of Summonable horses there. I figured with one more set of hands they might have enough survive the birthing for their own use, now that the demand in Eastal is so much higher. He'll find the transition difficult, I expect."

Shiroe blinked. "Yes, quite," he murmured. "Please see it's handled appropriately."

"Of course," she answered dismissively, "but that doesn't get me through today." She paced the room, her tail swishing. "How about letting me go visit Roderick Trading Company, to talk to the apothecary department? If we can sneak in under the radar and I can just talk to them...there's one from Radio Market that might be there now. I can use the excuse I'm there to visit that one. I'd like to at least get a start on the potions, since I don't even know where to begin. Once I know where to begin, I know what I need to do to get where I want to go."

"Fine. Be home to make dinner. It will be your only night to make it until after the festival, after all, and I'm looking forward to fresh ...whatever it is you two will make."

"Oooo. Very political save, there, Machiavelli. We'll play rock-paper-scissors and surprise you."

Shiroe smiled at Purrcy and her eyes twinkled back. "Oh," he added, "the train from Minami will also arrive tomorrow. I'm hoping not at the same time. I'd like to have the Duke and his group settled and out of the way before the train unloads. Once it's clean, you can invite him to receive an exclusive tour of it, but until then it's going to be overwhelming."

"Are they all staying at Water Maple?"

"Probably?" Shiroe didn't know, really.

Purrcy sighed. "The Princess will be terribly disappointed she can't relax, yet again, for a festival. At least I've properly seen to her reputation as far as the fashion show goes. They can come to that. The other designs will likely scandalize them, but what I'm having her wear - as my exclusive model I might add - they'll find acceptable for the most part."

"Most part?" Shiroe raised an eyebrow.

"I have a few shorter skirt versions for more casual or party wear, as far as Adventurers are concerned. They're still modest by our standards, though, I promise, even if just a little scandalous for theirs. It will open their eyes a little to what they are actually subjecting her to by leaving her here unattended and at our mercy. Either they'll find it just punishment or they'll recall her. Are her parents coming?"

"I believe so, and her sister, her husband, and their young brother, the heir."

"A family reunion and ...vacation, perhaps?" Purrcy paused in her pacing.

"It would be nice," Shiroe said dryly.

"I'll make it one, if they don't suggest it themselves. All nobles need to be able to relax once in their lives. I take it spies from other nobles will be as thick as flies, then."

Shiroe had gone back to his work. "Probably."

Purrcy sighed. "Well, I'll have to think hard, then. ...Michael, I want a detail starting tomorrow watching over the Duke and his family. We'll have you all present when they arrive so you all know who he is. I want to let them learn to relax. Figure out how to keep the spies from the rest of the nobles blind - or kicked out. Thanks."

She turned to Akatsuki. "Do you know who most of them are, or how to pick them out?" Akatsuki nodded. "Good, make sure the Eagles know so they can clean the city while we're in the manor hiding out waiting for the city to calm back down to a roar from the explosion it will be in at first. I'd rather not have to disguise them, though I will to a small degree." She turned back to Shiroe. "If they didn't bring proper clothing, may I raid Calasin's again? That would be a more secluded space to hide them in than to just lock them down in the Manor, and take up gobs of time. They'd also get a taste of the more wild clothing selections and not fret so much at what she'll be wearing for me."

"That'd be fine," Shiroe nodded, still distracted by his work. Then he looked up. "Ah...and as far as they know, you have seen the dress. Nureha went for the final fitting."

Purrcy stopped pacing again and pursed her lips at him. In her angry voice that hadn't been used at all until now, she said, "And am I going to be allowed to see it before I have to wear it?"

He blinked. Finally he sighed. "It isn't that bad, really. It wouldn't do to set that impression on the Duke after all. ...But I do know you hate surprises. If you want to stop in, go ahead."

"Thank you," she said curtly, trying to reign the anger in, the twitching of the tail slowing down, though the tip of it still bounced with tension as it moved. "Then I'll stop by there today and set up the visit, since I'm sure they'll have to pull out someone or three to assist us." She went back to pacing as she thought. Finally she asked, "Anything else you want me working on?"

"The Round Table will have figured it out just from the fashion show. I'll keep them locked down in the joint meeting, but Nakalnad's going to ask about the key and Kazuhiko knows you, so it'll come up anyway. Expect to have to explain something to calm them down so we can focus on what's important. You can probably follow my lead there just fine."

"Probably. I let Marie know that I'd protect them and Soujirou if anything regarding the Academy came up in any meeting I was present at."

"Good."

She paced just a bit more and Shiroe didn't add anything more. Finally Purrcy lept up on his desk, landing as kitten. She carefully stepped on and around papers, then sat with her tail curled around her front feet until he finished writing his thought down. He looked at her soberly for a moment, then reached out his hand and pet her on the head. "Thank you, Purrcy," he said.

She licked his hand with the little scratchy tongue. "Keep talking to me. I might match you, but reading minds still doesn't exist. I can't help if you hold your tongue."

"Right," he rubbed under her chin, then sighed and put his chin in his hand. "Keep reminding me."

"I'll step on your toes - literally. Then I won't have to figuratively."

He snorted a small laugh. "That'll help me remember, I guess." He ran a finger down her head and back. She rose and shook a little, then turned and carefully made her way back across the desk top. She only made it halfway before she was scooped up in a hand. He held her to his cheek. "Welcome home."

Purrcy purred for him until he put her down on the floor beside his chair. She transformed back to felinoid and ran her hand through his hair and kissed the top of his head. "It's good to be home...really here and finally able to really help. You already know it, but together - anything is possible. We'll see you tonight. Take a few minutes to breathe when Akatsuki calls you out."

"I will, Hahaue," he promised. The office was finally quiet again after that, but Shiroe was more relaxed, so Akatsuki was satisfied. Then her face fell. Princess Raynessia had received a reprieve. That made it doubly unlikely she herself would. She was very much not looking forward to the fashion show.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy went hunting for Nyanta next, going to large cat and sniffing him down. She rubbed against his legs, intertwining herself and purring, her tail waving in the air. "Meow. Someone is pleased," he said calmly, but with a little bit of a smile in his voice. He finished hanging his wet shirt on the drying line. Reaching down, he ran a paw on Purrcy's back. "Do mew have any laundry that needs doing, nyan?"

She looked up at him and laughed. "We did my laundry just before I left, and I haven't been in a physical body that needed my clothing until I met with you. I suppose you could wash yesterday's dress, if you're bored. Or you could come with me to be bored at the research facility. ...Or, you could finally have a quiet afternoon on your favorite chair." She licked his paw. "Shiroe has me hostessing the Duke and his family from the time they arrive tomorrow. If you'd come and keep the Princess' mother and sister entertained on the side, I'm intending to help them to relax just enough to feel like they're on vacation while they're here for the unofficial official things."

"If there is a Duchess, I'll handle both of them for a bit, but then she'll be yours instead. I think the heir has already picked someone to follow around and we'll likely hand him off early for everything but the official full family activities. If possible, I'll have the Water Maple girls keep Raynessia busy as much as possible, but she'll have to be at her previous engagements and the official full family activities as well."

"I'm not sure who Shiroe is going to have host them once the festival is in full force, so I'm also going to try to get them into vacation mode before it does start. I hope whoever's been picked knows the itinerary, because I don't, though I do think they should come to the fashion show and see what their daughter's doing to pay the price they've set her to. I've already contacted Michael to put details on them from our house and asked Akatsuki to help them clean out the city of spies as much as possible so their reputations aren't smeared in front of the other nobles...though I'd rather they were made jealous enough they'd come play, too." Purrcy was still weaving around Nyanta and he was still hanging laundry.

Then, suddenly, she was holding another item of clothing up to the line. He went ahead and pinned it. When the first pin was in, she held the other side and picked up the next item out of the basket. He placed the second pin and she held the next item up to the line for him to pin. They followed that pattern as she continued to talk until she had filled him in on the whole morning until that time and her thoughts about what should be next. They reached the end of the basket and he moved down the line one more step. She followed him and smiled at him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her. "Thank mew for helping."

"Thank you for listening...again," she smiled at her own penchant to not be quiet. "Do you think that was enough to hold you until I get back?"

He chuckled. "Most likely." He leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Until mew first step paw out the door, anyway."

She blushed and shivered slightly, melting just enough to get his arm to tighten around her. As he stiffened slightly she smiled to herself and wondered how far he'd let himself go this time. She could tell he wanted to hold her with his other arm, but he stepped back instead. She looked him in the eye calmly. "We need to play rock-paper-scissors for Shiroe."

"Oh?" Nyanta's eye whiskers went up. "I win, then, unless mew do scissors, and even then I win."

"Oh, goody!" Purrcy said brightly. "Then we're having curry tonight."

Nyanta dropped his head into his paw. "I'll remember not to play with mew anymeowre."

She patted him on the head. "I'll be back in time to help. Do you need me to pick up anything on the way?"

He stepped into her and picked her up in his arms. Holding her there hostage, his ears twitched at her, then finally settled on back in embarrassment. Purrcy laughed. "Nyanta, if you don't know where to go next, don't do it in the first place." She bent down and kissed him. "It isn't a good punishment otherwise." She rubbed her face against his and licked his cheek and jaw and was working down his neck when he finally set her down and backed up a step. He kept one paw on her shoulder to hold her in place. She moved to step forward and he growled at her.

She stopped and patted the arm holding her, an ear flicking back in apology, then she was large cat again and heading out the door. She heard him sigh as she prepared to leap to the tree trunk. Briefly she closed her eyes and held herself from turning around, then was down the tree. There were still too many days ahead of them, even if they were busy ones.

-:-:-:-:-

"Right, Tetorō. Let's play 'hide from the guard detail' next," Purrcy's voice was barely in Tetorō's ear before the front door was opening.

"Hey!" he called out, jumping up from the couch and taking off after her. "Not this guard! Wait for me!" For the second time that week he got to run full out. Purrcy as large cat was quite fast, actually. She did stay in sight, though, until she hit a particular corner. Then she turned it and disappeared. He reached that intersection and looked down the street but she wasn't on it. He held still and looked for her internally. His tracer on her was on her spirit, not her body, since he hadn't known where that was until she arrived two days ago. He'd also gotten very good at figuring out relationally where she was in the base realm. He relaxed when he saw she hadn't gone far. Then he triple checked that it wasn't a mirror image she'd left behind. It looked like she did just want to test the guards.

The Eagles assigned for the day had said they were from the Safety detail for three of them, and the fourth sounded like he still counted but had claimed he was from the Maintenance detail. They caught up to him and began a search, though Tetorō only knew because he could see faint shadows in the code realm. One came out of hiding and ghosted to the center of the street to track her paw prints. The street here was stone, but had patches of moss on it. After about a minute, the tracker made a few small hand signals, then disappeared, heading to follow whatever tracks he'd seen.

Tetorō walked slowly to the center of the street where the tracker had left from, looking for the signs he'd found. When he reached the position in the street the tracker had entered the leaning building, he stopped and watched that building to see what they would do, and to see if she would leave it. He wondered if she'd do any spell casting, or if she'd leave it at just a game of hide-and-seek.

The guard detail had entered the building and held still and been very quiet while their eyes adjusted to the dimness. As a cat, she had sight advantage indoors in such locations. She also would have a better sense for what was rotting and would crumble under weight...Tetorō hoped. Purrcy moved from her hiding place as three of the four misty grey patches on his interior vision began to creep up towards her. One stopped short and waited while the other two converged on where she had been. She was already out of range of the one waiting though, having moved early enough.

One of the two backed up and waited while his companion searched that area, then began tracking again. The third moved to track in line with the first one. The second ghosted along behind them a bit. Purrcy moved again, slowly. Either she was being very cautious, or was working her way along a dangerous route. Tetorō hoped it wasn't the latter. About the same time the two working together found her second hiding place, Purrcy was moving up the leaning building to higher floors in quick bursts. Possibly jumping from level to level, then. Tetorō hoped they could follow her up.

He wasn't disappointed. The two who had found her hiding spot must have found her escape route. The one hanging back was headed at a faster rate and somewhat lower in the same direction she had gone. Maybe she'd been in a ventilation shaft and the guard was following it on the floor. The two behind moved back down and then ran to catch up, with one falling behind again as they got close to the one who had followed her path. Tetorō agreed with the tactic. Leave one near the door to both guard it, and to head outside if the target left the building. One of the other three always lagged in order to either help the others out of a bind, or to move if the others couldn't as easily. That had shaved off some time this time.

They seemed a little stuck at the leaping part, though. It looked like they might be in conference. When they moved again, one stayed near that location and the other two moved towards the one near the door. Tetorō's eyebrow raised slightly. When the three converged, one stayed there again and the other two left the building and moved to a corner. Suddenly he saw them on the outside of the building, climbing up it until they were on the upper sloped edge. They moved up the slope quickly. They paused briefly at regular intervals and he could hear sounds of voices at the pauses. He wondered if they were using fear tactics to get her to flush out. He wasn't sure how they'd know which floor she was on. Then they stopped. From the angle, it looked like at the right floor even. Tetorō blinked. He wondered how they'd figured that out.

They stayed there but the one inside at the stairwell - if that's what it was, started to move up. It wasn't fast, but it was steady. When he reached the same floor, he paused and one of the ones on the outside moved to be inside. Then the two at that floor began to move towards each other cautiously. Purrcy moved slightly, but not far. She was likely at least boxed in then. Now to see if they found where. They reached a place near her location, paused again, then finally moved towards her. It looked like she was above them just slightly.

Suddenly she was moving, very quickly, and the two men reacted, but didn't catch her before she was headed back towards the stairwell. Tetorō could only imagine she'd been hiding as a kitten and moved fast enough and was small enough she was too difficult to catch. One ran quickly after her. The other one lagged behind again just a little, but not by much. Suddenly Purrcy stopped moving forward, very near the stairwell. She did wiggle a lot, though. Just as the closest guard reached her, she was suddenly through whatever barrier or trap had been put in her way.

The second guard in the hall was suddenly moving very fast. As Purrcy 'fell' quickly down the flights, the one on the outside started moving down as well, then was moving closer to Tetorō's position. The two on the inside were 'falling' as well. When Purrcy turned and entered the interior of the building again, the angles were right for where the exterior guard was. They'd figured out early what floor she would go for. Maybe there were only certain floors that could be entered from that stairwell. Tetorō did wonder why the guard had abandoned the hallway window though.

The two guards chasing her had reached the floor Purrcy had turned into and were following after her. She had paused, though she was still moving a bit, then suddenly she was at a window, looking at him. Tetorō blinked. She crouched and he shifted slightly. There was movement above her and as she launched, a guard on a zipline from above dropped a net on top of her. The guard standing just inside the door moved, and moved very quickly. As soon as Purrcy was on the ground, that guard was grabbing for the net to hold it around her. The guard from above also very quickly continued to descend until he was on the ground and holding the net as well.

Purrcy hadn't been able to get out from under the net as a kitten on the way down, and with both men holding it down, as full size panther she couldn't quite force her way out of it by weight alone. Tetorō walked over, seeing the two interior guards looking down out from the window at the struggle below them. By the time Tetorō arrived, she was back to kitten and looking as pitiful as she could be - even mewling a plea to be let go. One laughed and shook his head. "That won't work. We know what you are. Cuteness is only temporary. Let you out and our heads would be removed by that giant claw of yours."

"Only too true," Tetorō agreed sadly. "Well done." He looked at the kitten who looked back calmly. "If you've had enough?" She nodded. "Stay kitten and I'll let you ride." She stood up, but stayed small. He motioned and they let her out of the net. While they folded it back up and retrieved the zip line he put her on his shoulder. Purrcy licked his neck and his ear. It tickled and scratched at the same time, but he put up with it. He'd missed it. He pet her gently.

"Heh," said one of the ones returning from inside, "we knew she could change, but not size that far down."

"Looks like a familiar," said the other with a grin.

Tetorō smiled back. "I'd agree, but it's probably the other way around. As Apprentice, I'm more the horse and whipping boy, but that makes it a good disguise either way, until they look at her closely. Her pattern's pretty distinctive." They nodded agreement. Purrcy lept from Tetorō's shoulder to the next guard over and licked his cheek and rubbed her head on his ear, purring. She repeated it for all of them, then was handed back over. "So...where are we really going?" Tetorō asked her.

"Where we always go when we go into town," she answered and settled down on his shoulder again.

"A- _gain_?" Tetorō whined slightly.

"Yup. And tomorrow, too."

Tetorō groaned. "Well, two of you will have to sit on the roof or something and two will have to come in. We need at least six for that place, though. Two for the front, two for the back, and two to go in. Even if you're kitten, if I walk in with them we'll be found out, you know. Everyone's got that whole strip under surveillance."

"Hmm...then...let's figure out how to do it without them knowing. Besides, it's you that's the problem. They're always looking to see you come around."

Tetorō stood very still, then nodded. "That's true." He chewed on his lip, then said. "Alright. We'll go in like I'm on duty." He handed the kitten to the next guard over. "You bring her inside. I'll distract them. You can get her close to the door and she can zip in as kitten when they open it to go through. Just say you're waiting for me when they ask...or specifically ask for something they have to retrieve from the back to get her through, or convince them you want to see something in the back. Have fun with that." He glared at the guards. "But whatever you do, DON'T let them know she can transform. That's still secret. I'll show up as soon as everyone else will let me get past." Tetorō paused again, then asked suspiciously. "Why are we going today if we're going tomorrow?" He glared at Purrcy.

"Today I'm going to see the dress - for the first time I might add. Shiroe said I could so I can stop being worried and angry and not be surprised again." That last brought Tetorō up short. He'd paid a pretty steep price last time she'd been surprised. "And to request a few clerks be freed up for tomorrow's royal visit. We won't be there long. We might even be out by the time you're able to get in. ...Then it's over to Roderick Trading Company's apothecary division where we'll be until it's time to get dinner going. Nyanta 'won' so it's curry tonight."

Tetorō lit up at "curry", but still, he sighed. "Are we going to have to sneak you into Roderick's, too?"

"Yup!" a happy little voice said. Tetorō rolled his eyes and looked apologetically at the guards.

They shrugged. "It's fun," one said.

"Glad you think so," Tetorō said wryly, then turned to start walking. He turned back and took the kitten back. "Until we're just outside the start of my regular route." He put Purrcy back on his shoulder and the guards disappeared again.

-:-:-:-:-

"Commander, Operation Hide-and-Seek successful. Target tagged and bagged in thirteen minutes twenty-seven seconds. Headed for in-town next. Requesting back-up. Location Shopping District 8, short-term. Then we'll be headed for Roderick Trading Company until time to head home for dinner." Life Support reported in.

"Mmm...good job. She must be thrilled." Michael responded.

Ground Safety sniggered. "Tetorō's not. He's tolerant, though."

"Why'd he give away she was about to jump?" Aviation Safety asked. "I expected him to let me fail if I was gonna'."

"What'd he do?" Michael asked.

"Stood to mark the location she went to ground and he lost her. Then followed us to the location, but waited in the street and held still. Looked like he was watching from the outside. But when she finally made her way to the window to jump, he marked her, then just as she was about to jump, he shifted to let me know, or something." The answer came back promptly.

"What formation did you use?"

"Fall-back pincer, with echo to flush her out." Life Support answered.

"He instinctively recognized it, then, and was taking his usual position. He's field monitor." Michael answered.

"Oh," Aviation Safety said. "So, he's allied."

"Yup. He was following through. Actually, they've said we might have to really follow through ourselves. She was probably training you for that, too."

"Whazzat?" Compliance asked.

"She's apparently far-flung field monitor. If she gets trapped, we'll be sent in to fetch her out. He'll watch like that and if it's real, direct us in. The retrieval will be quicker that way."

"That's good to hear," Life Support relaxed slightly. "Thirteen minutes is long enough to be dead for more than ten. I'd like to do it again with him to time it and get it as low as possible."

"Inside's more important than outside, but right now outside's all you pansies are prepared to handle."

"We're workin' on it, Commander," Compliance complained.

"I know. I'll send some over to Shopping District 8. Let them know when they can scatter back after you're inside Roderick Trading company."

"We get to pick how we get inside the mall," Aviation Safety told him. "Tetorō's going to be the draw since that's his usual route."

"Hoh? ...She wants the back?"

"Yup. Brief visit she says. To see the dress and to request help for tomorrow, then back out again."

"Mmm...that sounds like fun, actually..." The four rolled their eyes. Of course it was going to be fun. That didn't mean they needed everyone in on it.

"The more walk in, the more suspicious it is. Goal is no one can know she's going in and out kitten. Only full-on Purrcy while we're inside." Ground Safety said.

"No...," Michael mused, "...make it goal that they never knew she was there. She might complain so I'll tell her I want it as your next training. It'll let her know you can do more than hide-and-seek. You'll have to talk your way through the operation." He was quiet a bit longer, then asked, "What's the request?"

"To provide help when the 'royal visit' occurs tomorrow."

"Perfect. You have orders to check the place over and make sure it's sufficiently clear for the visit tomorrow. I've already received orders we're to clean out the city anyway, though I need to make her be clearer on that. Her brush was too broad. We're on duty for royal protection tomorrow also, on the guests who are going to be there so you can wander after them then so they can't get suspicious after the fact."

"Put us on the door, please," Aviation Safety requested. "We're not qualified for close duty."

"Fine, if you pass this one properly." Michael cut the line.

Life Support blew a lightly frustrated breath of air. They could pass it just fine. "It's too simple, given that order. We can walk wherever we want with that. All she has to do is peek out of a pocket when we hit the right room."

"Well...that's just your speed, isn't it?" Ground Safety teased.

"I'm cautious, but I like to show real capacity, too," Life Support answered.

"Then let's find something we want to do, that gets both done," Compliance said reasonably.

"I'd like to know what they wear to parties in this town," Ground Safety said. That was enough to decide them. ...And all the time they had. Tetorō had stopped walking.

"I'll go in," Life Support said quietly and he was moving to intercept, walking into the street as if just walking by. He raised a hand to greet Tetorō and stopped to chat. "The Commander let some of us off for a few hours. We haven't gotten to go sightseeing at the shops yet. Could you point us to Shopping District 8?" He held out his hand for Tetorō's to shake it.

Tetorō pulled his hand out of his pocket and took Life Support's hand. "Sure. It's up this way." He waved with his other hand and shifted slightly to look around Life Support to see the others gathered back where he'd come from. "Just the four of you?" He was good at distracting eyes, too, Life Support noted.

"Yeah. We're going to get let go in shifts, once we've passed our testing. It's only for a few hours, though, since he wants us trained up for the festival." He put his hand up to his breast pocket and dropped the kitten inside it. It was a pleated pocket meant to hold radio equipment - if they were on Earth. Now it held the kitten just nicely. When they'd made their avatars, they'd picked a uniform that was military from World War II. Most people in town recognized them by that now, if not who they were individually yet. The uniform Purrcy had created for them was their formals now - or would be once they were actually real. They were all secretly excited to be getting formals finally. There was something about being in tight, uncomfortable, real clothing that was all spiffy, that said "official". Even if they did love to hate ironing it, polishing it, and wearing it for untold hours in the blazing heat.

Life Support gestured with the other hand, turning away from the main part of the street instead of towards it, and the other three joined them. "Are you looking for anything specific?" Tetorō asked.

"I'd like to know what counts as party clothes so I'm prepared for the festival," Ground Safety said casually.

"What do they have that's unusual and not necessarily kept out front?" Compliance asked.

"Well...rather a lot, actually," Tetorō gave him a rather evil grin. "Everything from cos-play, to mature, to the more esoteric like the Valkyrie Armor." He went to thoughtful. "Actually, you guys like military history. There's rather a lot of it in the back. It's got a clientele, but not enough to put out front."

They all looked interested in that. Life Support rubbed his chin. "That would be cool." Compliance bumped into Ground Safety. Life Support put out a hand to stabilize him and the kitten was in Ground Safety's pocket.

"Sorry, man," Compliance reached out a hand to Ground Safety. "Got distracted." The others looked over to the women sitting at the cafe they were passing and the kitten was in Compliance's pocket.

"Sweet," Tetorō said, a twinkle in his eyes. They smiled knowingly back at him, acknowledging the real praise. "As long as they don't bounce around too much, I approve," he said.

"I like 'em big," Aviation Safety said, to spare Compliance from being clawed.

"You like looking at Marie, then?" Tetorō raised an eyebrow. "Don't let Naotsugu catch you doing it."

"Never," Aviation Safety said completely serious. "I don't need to be Cathedraled back to level one. I like my level fifty-one, thank you very much."

"Oh, high praise for that one!" Compliance was looking surprised and trying hard to not give away his package.

"Why, thank you," Aviation Safety said politely. "But we're all about that now, you know."

"Well, five days ago you were all at, what...nearly forty? What are you doing to speed through the levels?" Tetorō asked.

They all looked away. "Our little secret," Ground Safety said in a teasing voice that let him know they weren't going to answer it. There was a tiny snort from Compliance's pocket. He coughed a few time.

"We'll lose points, you know, if we let it out," Life Support scolded mildly. They assumed the apology.

"Oohh...a contract is it," Tetorō nodded knowingly, as if such a thing existed.

"Excellent teachers," Aviation Safety replied just a little stiffly. Tetorō let it drop, as was proper at that point.

After a bit more walking, Tetorō waved his hand at a large warehouse with a storefront. "That's it there. Just let the clerk know what you want to see and she'll take care of you."

"Thanks, man," Compliance shook Tetorō's hand. Purrcy didn't change pockets, this time. This was the confusion hand-off to make anyone who'd been following their movements think he'd received back what he'd given out to begin with. The rest waved and the four headed into the building.

"Hello, may I help you?" the clerk at the front desk asked as they entered. They waited to fully adjust their eyes to the room. Electric lights weren't possible, but this place had enough money to put up pretty bright permanent magic rechargeable lights.

Life Support smiled engagingly. "We've got a few hours of leave and heard Shopping District 8 has a nice selection of military historic clothing. These are our avatar outfits, and they're getting a bit old - in the eye-sore division, if you know what I mean. We thought we'd like to take a look at some other options."

As he spoke, the other three were scanning the shop. They'd received orders and needed to comply with them as well. Ground Safety in particular went exploring. When the clerk paused instead of leading them to the back, waiting on him, he turned back. "Ah...I was also wondering what was popular to party in these days. There seem to be a lot of this kind of thing," he waved a hand at a particular rack. "I'll be right along."

The clerk hesitated, then called on her chat. "MarketMaker, I've got four customers that want to review the historic clothing racks. Is there anyone available to assist?" The clerk looked at them again a little closer, then said, "Historic clothing. They're from Log Horizon. ...No, sir. ...Yes, sir." She returned to them. "I can let you into the back section in a few minutes, if you'd wait just a bit. He's in the back, but says he'll be right up."

"Thank you," Aviation Safety said politely. They all wandered just a bit, except Aviation Safety who stayed anchor.

About just at two minutes the clerk moved. "If you'd please come with me," she said politely.

They gathered and walked with her to the door in the back they'd marked immediately on entry to the store. Compliance and Ground Safety chatted about the clothing they'd seen until the door was open. They went through, thanking the clerk and gave their attention to MarketMaker. He was slightly glistening with sweat. Hard work, nervousness, or having had to hoof it were all possibilities. "Welcome. Is this your first time coming to the back?" he asked politely with all the smoothness of a sales person.

"Yes," Life Support smiled. "Thank you for coming to fetch us personally."

MarketMaker twitched ever so slightly. "No, no. It's no trouble at all, though if it's alright, I'll leave you with some assistants when we arrive at that section of the warehouse." He was looking them over, reading their statuses. "You're from the new fighting group attached to Log Horizon. Are you enjoying Akiba? I heard you were originally at Minami."

He was an information digger as well. They all smiled internally and shifted as if to start walking. He immediately jumped to begin the walk. They 'pushed' him slightly to keep his feet going. "We've been hard at work," Life Support said, friendly. "This is one of our first opportunities to have a short break." He dropped the friendly when he was given the nod from his partners. "...is what I'd like to say." MarketMaker's eyes quickly were looking at him again and his own look went more sober. "We've got a bit of time to look around, but we're also here on official orders. The Duke arrives tomorrow with his family and Lady Purrcy's been tasked with hostessing them tomorrow. She would like to bring them here to keep them entertained, while at the same time out from the massive bustle the train's going to cause. I'm sure it will be an imposition, but if you had, say...three?...staff you could spare to attend to them here in the back she would appreciate it. Several of us will be along as well, so security shouldn't be a problem." He raised an eyebrow.

MarketMaker deflated a bit. He looked away and bit his lip while thinking. After a while he sighed. "I suppose a few would have to be spared. Calasin will be returning with the train, but so will the rest of the guild that went with him. We might have enough arms."

Compliance turned away a few steps and put his hand to his ear as if listening to an oncoming chat. When he returned, he said, "More have been offered leave and were wondering if they could join in." MarketMaker paled just slightly. They pretended not to notice.

Life Support frowned. "Well, I'm sure there are many hands already who are willing to help," he said, leaving it open, but MarketMaker shook his head. "Would it help that much to have even those few more?" he asked.

MarketMaker nodded and sighed. "It's the fashion show, you see. The things that need to be off-loaded from the train will have to be done solely by the employees he brought back with him, and apparently he's the largest cargo on the train." Compliance nodded sympathetically.

"Well...maybe we could offer a few of our men to help," Life Support said conciliatory. "The order to host the Duke comes from Guildmaster Shiroe himself. I'll take it to him and see if we can get approval." MarketMaker looked both relieved and worried at the same time. It was just slightly humorous.

"Ah, there's one other thing," Ground Safety said. MarketMaker twitched again. "We've been ordered to make sure we understand the layout of the full area the Duke's family will be in. May we have permission to inspect? We don't need to touch anything. It will just let us know how many guards should be sent with them."

MarketMaker actually relaxed slightly. "That would be fine. I'll show you where they shouldn't be allowed to go. All of the product off the train will be coming here as well, but there isn't any clothing in the cargo manifest. It might be a bit noisy off in the distance, but there's not anything we can do about that." His steps shifted slightly and he took them quickly to what looked like the edge of the section of warehouse that was clothing and other soft products. They could see further on was items, crafted and hunted. "Beyond this will be too busy and noisy," he told them. They all nodded. That made sense. He led them down towards the back of the warehouse. There was a wall built to section off an area. They followed that wall back in towards the clothing racks.

When they reached a door Compliance paused. "What's in this room?"

MarketMaker pulled up and turned back. "That's the sewing room."

"Can we look inside to understand?" Ground Safety asked.

MarketMaker looked resigned. He nodded and Compliance opened the door. He and Ground Safety entered and looked around. Only half the workstations were full, but they were all very busy. Compliance saw what he was looking for. He headed left, Ground Safety headed right. When Compliance reached the place he wanted, he stopped and folded his arms. The hand that couldn't be seen tapped his pocket and a small black head popped out. He waited until it receded, then walked around the dress on the form and tapped again. The head popped back out briefly, nodded and disappeared again. He nodded his own head as if in approval or appreciation and walked on to finish his inspection of the room, ending back up at the door with Ground Safety. As they closed the door behind them, the kitten was suddenly in Ground Safety's pocket.

Compliance nodded at MarketMaker and motioned he could continue the tour. "How long does it take to make something like that?" he asked.

MarketMaker looked at him a little wildly. "Considering how long it could have taken...," he trailed off, then firmly said, "as long as it takes." They were sure he was biting his tongue very hard.

"It's beautiful," Compliance said mildly. "Fit for a Queen." They could hear teeth grinding.

"Thank you. I'll be sure to let the seamstress know her work was appreciated."

The rest of the visit was spent in the final circuit of the area they could take the Duke's family in, and then they were left in the hands of one clerk to look through military uniforms. They got a bit lost in that, but didn't lose track of time. Eventually, they thanked the clerk and asked to be returned to the door, which happened rather quickly. Presumably the clerk was also needed elsewhere. They didn't leave empty handed either. They'd each politely found things they were willing to wear later, though Ground Safety did opt for 'party' clothes instead of military. When they went to pay, the clerk started sweating and shook his head and held up his hands. "Please...the guild...Log Horizon...has a standing agreement."

"Well...we aren't officers," Aviation Safety protested lightly.

"Even still...," the clerk looked faint.

"We'll let the guild know the tab, then," Life Support said kindly and they let it drop. They finally understood the nervousness. Log Horizon's officers bullied Shopping District 8. It wasn't out of character for either Shiroe or Purrcy, really. They'd have to work extra hard to be nice and polite. They thanked their personal clerk, thanked the front clerk, and left the store.

Once out, they meandered through the crowded streets until they finally arrived outside Roderick Trading Company. They looked up at the university style building, gawking like they were red-neck tourists, then they headed inside the main door. "Hey," Compliance said genially, "we're on leave and it's our first time to see this place. Can we get a quick outline tour?"

They got looked at (face and status) and the look on that face went a little grey as well. That was slightly confusing. They were sure Purrcy hadn't been in the building before. If the same things were going on here, was it just Shiroe? It was pretty powerful that just his guild name was evoking this kind of reaction once they stepped foot into a place. They looked at each other with brief glances. There would have to be further investigation after this.

The guild tag got them into the back and on a quick tour. They were a bit relieved that Roderick himself wasn't called for. They were low enough on the totem pole, then, for this place to not have that requirement at least. The tour was bypassing a hall, when Ground Safety asked, "What's down here?" He pointed as he asked.

"A few minor departments." The guide listed off a few.

"Oh! Apothecary! That's my hobby!" Life Support said. "Can we see? Just poke our heads in?"

The guide paused, then looked at them again. "Certainly," he said, but it sounded like, "must we?" He led them down the hall and let them into the door on the right. There were many smells in the room and five long chemistry tables, each with a researcher sitting at them.

At one of them, Tetorō looked up. "Oh, hey guys!" he said cheerily.

"Hey, Tetorō," Life Support answered back. "Fancy meeting you here. We were just getting the tour. I think it was about done?" he looked back at the guide. "I wanted to see this room though. Chemistry was an interest of mine and this sounded like it was the closest thing."

The researcher sitting next to Tetorō looked over. "It pretty much is," he smiled. "You're welcome to come see."

Tetorō looked at the guide. "If you want, I'll see them back out once they've had their curiosity satisfied."

The guide only hesitated for a brief moment then was gone. When everyone looked back towards the researcher, their eyes grazed over Purrcy, then returned to her. The researcher in particular almost dropped the thing he was holding. Tetorō quickly relieved him of his burden. Purrcy put her finger over her lips and moved to stand next to the researcher. "It's good to see you again," she said softly. "I'm playing hookie this afternoon. Can I learn from you today?" His face lit up and in fifteen seconds they were lost to the world. The other five moved out of their way, though Tetorō stayed the closest. He was absolutely sure he would be needed for HP ups.

Life Support moved to lean against the wall just inside the door, taking a casual pose so as to not frighten any of the other researchers if they should happen to come up for air. Ground Safety and Compliance took either end of the table Purrcy was working on, sitting on tall stools as if they were also at work and to not be quite as noticeable as being standing height. Aviation Safety took up a place by the windows where he could see out. When he saw the flash of light that signaled he'd been properly spotted by the outside guards, he moved out of sight and watched the street from his position.

They all set their ears and bodies to alert status and turned their minds to more training until Purrcy was ready to go again. Aviation Safety stood at the window again, his back to it this time, then followed the others out. This time, Tetorō had Purrcy all the way home, though he let her out when they were far enough away from city center. She sat on his shoulder, sniffing at the fresh air, until they were in sight of the guild hall. Then she leaped off his shoulder and ran to the guild hall ahead of them. She was already in the kitchen talking excitedly to Nyanta when they opened the door for Tetorō. "We'll report in before coming in," Life Support said quietly.

Tetorō nodded. "Thanks for your hard work," he said.

Life Support held out his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you." He didn't smile.

Tetorō's eyes went a touch hard. He clasped Life Support's hand. "Likewise."

The four moved to the wall away from Crescent Moon's guild hall and sat on the ground in a small group. They were swiftly surrounded by twenty other shadows. Life Support looked up at Michael and smiled. "Mission accomplished, Sir. And lots of information gathered. Further recon is necessary to confirm...but Shiroe's the worst bully this city has never known. Both guild houses, even at low levels, were afraid of the Log Horizon guild tag. It's likely Purrcy is as well, though we know the research house doesn't know her yet - just some of the researchers themselves. The one we met loves her... to her face."

Michael sank down with them with a sigh. "Yeah. That sounds about right. It would be nice to know if that's all the other guilds. We'll send in other recon teams to see. What's the damage?"

"She'll have to pass it by Shiroe, but some of us are going to have to help off-load the train for Shopping District 8 in exchange for the shopping trip by the Duke's family. ...And don't shop there if you can help it until we can figure out how to get them to take payment for the stuff we want. We were refused to allow to pay in coin, by the fear of death the way they looked. I hope they make the Duke pay his portion, or it will explode sooner than later."

Michael nodded. "I'll feel it out, but Purrcy and Shiroe are both ruthless enough I'd expect them to reel them in softly to make a big purchase, and then snap the trap at the last minute, making them put down a big wad...on her merchandise."

The four guards of the day all laughed. "Yeah, that sounds 'bout right." Compliance said, shaking his head. "Stay real polite, whoever goes in tomorrow, and keep them inside the bounds of the clothing section. We'll be offloading into the rest of the warehouse. If you can hear too much, back them off. Her stuff's most likely away from that section though." He paused and his look went far away. "Her dress is...well...beautiful...but you can see Machiavelli-in-glasses and his evil streak in its details. She was good and didn't comment, but her tail bushed. He's making her pay for something. ...I wonder how long that tit for tat is going to go on." He shook his head. "I hope Grandpa doesn't get scary."

"It's that bad?" Reed asked, worried.

"Well...," Compliance looked at Ground Safety. Ground Safety nodded sympathetically. "It's bad enough," was his final answer.


	8. Purrcy's Akiba Debut

"Are you sure this is alright?" Princess Raynessia's mother, Saraliya asked one more time, looking down at her clothing. She was in loose pants of hunter green and a beautiful top of gold. A sleeveless laced bodice in deep blue was over that. It was the pants she was most concerned about, the top being rather like the dresses she was used to already.

Ilena patted her hand. "Yes, dear. You look lovely, and if you look around, very few women are in dresses here. Of course, on the stage you'll see dresses, pants, and many other outfits that Adventurers enjoy wearing...or like looking at others wear, for some of them. Feel free to cover your eyes if you find some a bit too scandalous for you. You'll get more comfortable as you ignore what you're wearing and focus on enjoying yourself."

Ilena glanced over at Saraliya's husband, Phenel, who was certainly very careful to stand in his position, but was relaxing the best. As a civil servant who had married the daughter of the Grand Duke and been sufficiently accepted (though not enough to inherit), he already knew how to relax from before. He wasn't able to keep his eyes from his wife very long. He seemed to be of two minds about it. He liked what he saw, but due to the current trend in fashion of the People of the Land, he wasn't sure he really could approve.

He was sitting in his own Adventurer clothing rather nicely. Saraliya's eyes didn't stray from his figure much either, actually. He was in sharply pleated khaki pants, a soft blue shirt that drew the colors of his eyes, and a coordinated sweater vest appropriate to the cool fall weather. The clerk who'd attended him the day before had shown him carefully how to still wear his sword and sword belt. They'd been just a little surprised to find the Adventurers of Akiba found the wearing of weapons with the clothing as normal as not, and perfectly fine for Persons of the Land.

On Purrcy's other side, Grand Duke Sergiad Cowen was sitting calmly, with a secretive smile on his face generally. Occasionally he also would look down at his pants and brush at them or tug on his jacket. It was obviously motions of excitement at getting to do something different and fun, not motions of discomfort, like Saraliya. Purrcy had liked the Duke right off. He was formal when appearances were important but he had a hidden sense of humor that allowed him to relax whenever he felt he could. He'd already teased her several times in ways that had made her stop, recognize the tease, then smile brightly at him.

She'd been a little surprised it had taken the others a little longer to warm up to the fact they were being hosted by a felinoid couple, but the Duke had taken it graciously in stride. Their walk into the city from being greeted at the gate had opened their guests' eyes to the insane variety of the Adventurers they had never been subjected to at the Court of Eternal Ice. The Round Table Council attendees at the bi-yearly council meetings had gone conservative and in uniforms or armor for the most part. Isaac and his guild had been to Minami on a number of occasions in the same kind of fashion. Even hearing of it from their spies hadn't really prepared the Cowens for their first visit to Akiba. They'd decided on their current selections of clothing based on the fact that most of the senior members of Log Horizon had worn clothing similar when they'd been greeted at the gate. It had been among the most tasteful, upper class, and modest of what had been seen on the way in.

They'd been allowed time to recover a bit at Water Maple Manor. Princess Raynessia's cool regard for the citizens of the city, and lack of excitability that was in her family had finally helped them calm down sufficiently that Purrcy could finish talking them down. The only adult who wouldn't calm fully...was the Duke. The more he saw, the more excited he got until he was only barely less contained than his heir and grandson. When Purrcy couldn't contain the two of them any more, she'd finally relented and led them all to Shopping District 8. The eldest and youngest had been the push to make the couples between move and even finally relent and accept a few outfits of clothing.

Iselius had surprised Purrcy both by wanting to go buy Adventurer clothing, and then again by wanting to watch the fashion show today. Purrcy was rather amazed by the young heir of Maihama. He was capable of sitting still as a young ten year old, and even more, be clothed again and again as a boy. Not that he was pansy at all. His idol in town was Isaac. The guildmaster of Knights of the Black Sword had been present for their arrival in town as well, the two of them chatting away as the old friends they seemed to be, though Isaac hadn't stayed past seeing them safely to the manor. They would be having time together beginning this afternoon, when Isaac took over as the host for a while. The Knights of the Black Sword would also be taking over guard duty then. It seemed that Shiroe had divided up the duty between several guilds, beginning with Log Horizon.

Purrcy and Nyanta had retrieved the Cowen family again this morning, enforcing the "dressed like an Adventurer" rule for the day, and they'd arrived early to obtain good seating for the fashion show. Typically, Adventurers stood for the fashion show, and it was usually standing room only. A side section of the audience area along the runway but near the main part of the stage had been set aside for chairs and cordoned off. It was to this area that Purrcy and Nyanta had led their honored guests.

Purrcy herself was dressed for her part later that day, as was Nyanta, at least the under-layers. She wanted to save the main part of their clothing for when she actually appeared on stage. It made them look just a little dressed down, but not by much. She had seated herself between the Duke and his daughter. Iselius was on his other side and both of them kept giving each other excited looks and pointing out specific Adventurers wearing things never thought of before, as if the fashion show had already started. Next to Saraliya was her husband, then Nyanta. The eldest daughter, Liseltia, and her husband were next. Behind them, seated also, were their People of the Land retinue. Purrcy had only allowed one maximum per person. They'd settled just a little bit better when, as soon as they walked out of Water Maple Manor, they were instantly surrounded by the Eagles wearing their illusionary uniforms.

It had made walking the streets just a little difficult, to be a mob, but Purrcy had led them straight to the stage. It was decorated with large stars and hearts, holding true to Marielle's personality, though the preponderance of the decorations matched that of the whole city. Fall vines, heavy with pumpkins, leaves of orange, yellow, and red, and every other variety of fall decoration that could be thought of had turned the whole of Akiba into a visual autumn cornucopia.

The city had doubled in size with the influx of people from Minami. The inns were full to bursting and a number of guilds with guild halls had opened up their doors to allow guests to stay with them, doubling and tripling up. The Guild Hall was also renting out guild halls of various sizes for the term to those groups who could afford them, most notably the members of the Ministry of Minami. Of course, there were others from Minami who just crashed in the still-abandoned buildings nearby the central area, and some had just crashed where they sat. Many of the merchants had slept with their merchandise at their booths. It wasn't bad - Adventurers could sleep anywhere and camping out wasn't new, and they got to open their booth as soon as they opened their eyes.

The audience area was beginning to fill up even more now. The entry fee was only one gold, which Purrcy felt was far too low, but perhaps for a first time - particularly for the Minami guests - it was acceptable. The attendees for this part of the fashion show included very few beast-halves since that part of the fashion show would be later after an intermission and time for the attendees and models to swap out. Purrcy was planning on allowing the Cowens to decide if they would stay for that portion, this part being the only part that had the "family" requirement attached to it. If they decided not to stay, they would be given two guards per person and allowed to explore the market to their heart's content. That would prevent the congestion the entire group caused. Of course, they had other guards than that ghosting with them and keeping a close eye on the people surrounding them. This kind of environment was acutely suited to sudden run-by assassinations, even if they were disguised as Adventurers.

Purrcy had a moment of panicked claustrophobia when Saraliya's attention moved away from her as she settled back in her chair to obediently try to relax. Purrcy closed her eyes and her hands curled around the arms of her chair, though she worked hard to not clench them tightly. She gave up on the ears as they went back, though she did try to keep them from going flat on her head. Instead, she focused on just breathing and imagining herself sitting on a branch in a tall silver maple, letting the sounds move into the background until she could settle back into being at relaxed alert.

"Just keep breathing," sounded in her ear. An ear twitched. She already was, but it helped to hear Michael's voice. "We're here flying with you. It's a clear blue sky this morning, and the horizon is miles away. We're filtering at the door and there aren't any enemies in sight. The guys and gals inside are excited and getting ready. Raynessia's nervous, of course, but she relaxed considerably when she saw what she gets to wear. Even the short version didn't phase her. She must have had to wear some pretty awful stuff before. That's guessing based on what else is on the docket. Akatsuki's waffling. She's grateful to sit it out as guard, but she's wiggling just a little too much. She was offered a bribe this morning. Marielle offered to pay her to go out on the runway. She refused but she keeps looking like she could still go."

"She has my permission," Purrcy said quietly. "Tell her to take the watch over my half. There are so many of you she's not shirking, and Marielle owes her back pay. Tell her to negotiate up."

There was silence on the personal chat for a while, then Michael came back chuckling. "Triple wages and she's on the floor putting on her first outfit - all business."

Purrcy nodded. "Being properly compensated makes all the difference in the world. Don't forget to tell me what you all want when this is over."

Michael snorted. "Us?! We've already got --"

"You lot too, yes. This is extra. I'm difficult enough. I don't need resentment trying to support me. I'd rather pay what I think you're worth than wait to be ignored at the wrong time."

There was a choking laugh, then finally, "At least you know."

"Of course I do. I'm a very demanding employer." She crossed her legs and took another breath, her ears finally standing up again. Saraliya turned back to her again to ask a question and Purrcy returned her attention back to her guests.

-:-:-:-:-

In the end, Purrcy had to have an Eagle on watch in the back give her a heads-up when the most scandalous things were about to come out. When the Duke was covering Iselius' eyes and the ladies were covering their husband's eyes it was too much. Purrcy would give the warning (after the first time) and they'd all look down until she let them know it was safe again. The Duke, true to his own personality, never looked away. Purrcy could tell he was judging as he watched. It was an interesting sensation. It was almost a combination of him looking at cattle to see which one was worth purchasing and keeping around and of him setting weights on the scales of 'adult' versus 'childish' for the Adventurers as a whole.

Purrcy finally called him on it. "Duke Sergiad, you do understand that the Adventurers are mostly young, but the designs of a single craftsperson don't reflect the inner core of all Adventurers?"

He turned and looked at her calmly, measuring her as well. "Adventurers are, for the most part, quite unfathomable," he responded, "however, I've found each one is approachable in their own ways." He considered her a little longer. "You seem just as young, yet at the same time, have a depth of age that most others lack."

Purrcy's eyes sparkled and she took her own turn to tease him. "Even the great Duke of Maihama is still twenty-three in his own mind. Particularly at a place and time such as this. Perhaps you are even twelve here on occasion." His eyes turned up slightly at the corners. "It's a good thing," she told him. "I would hope you can enjoy yourself here in such a way. It's such a rare thing for those of us who are supposed to have 'grown up' by such a time, to indulge the child within."

"And is it right to indulge such a child?" Duke Sergiad asked, testing her.

"A child only ever indulged will become weak and undisciplined, unfit to be an adult in an adult world." Purrcy acknowledged. "However, an adult who is never given opportunity to rest will become dead of mind, soul, and eventually body long before his days of usefulness could have allowed. Not to mention it's the child within that is the wellspring of joy, happiness, unrestrained love, and creativity. When we nourish that child, even as old adults we can remain young and strong and move forward." She measured him. "This is in you. You've found a way to indulge your child in sufficient measure to remain young. I hope your heir learns the same. He is already too old, though I am impressed with his strength."

The Duke seemed suitably impressed with her answer. She shifted a bit. "If this is your first visit, then I would hope you would return again when it's not festival time. Then you will see what the hard-working adult Akiba looks like."

He continued to look at her for a bit, then turned back to viewing the models on the stage again. "I should like to do that, I think," he replied.

"We would be happy to show you the Academy," Purrcy said, also looking at the stage. "We're finally settled enough to begin remembering our own children, even as we are now seeking to reach out to others in the land to understand further this world we live in now."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Hmmm." He pressed his lips together just lightly. After watching several models come and go, including his own granddaughter again, he said, "Have you been to Maihama yet?"

"I have, once, nearly nine months ago now." She kept her answer light and casual. "I seem to remember catching sight of someone who had come to keep watch over some prized horses at foaling time. I thought such a one very kind to shed tears of gratitude and relief over one precious life that wasn't even of his own kind."

The Duke turned his face away, but she could see the red blush on his ears and neck. She smiled slightly to herself. When he recovered he looked back at her soberly. "I didn't have opportunity then, but I did want to thank you for your efforts in their - and our - behalf. Thank you." He bowed his head to her.

Her tail waved softly as her hand did as well. "It was my pleasure and relief even as it was yours. I'm glad I was able to have even some small effect."

After a pause, he asked, "And, will you come again?"

Purrcy hesitated. "I'm likely to come to Maihama again. Shiroe has said he'll send Nyanta and I as ambassadors on occasion. Perhaps we can plan to arrive around the time of the foaling again and stay sufficiently long to perform both duties." She looked at him. "However, there is a possibility that such plans will change. The winds blow differently each season. We are torn between two needs, two desires. Which one directs us is sometimes daily challenged. I'm only one person. Therefore when and where I'm sent can only be towards one of those things at a time." She looked down, then back at him again. "If you have an emergency and all will be lost without me, then contact me and I'll come if it's at all possible."

Duke Sergiad nodded a slow, sober nod. He looked away again and shortly after Saraliya demanded Purrcy's attention again. When Purrcy looked back later, the Duke looked lost in deep thought. When Marielle and the full complement of models came out on the stage for Marielle's final words of thanks, he turned to Purrcy. "Would it be possible for you to teach what you know at your Academy, and for me to send some of my hands to learn it from you?"

Purrcy's eyes widened, then she slowly smiled. "I think that could be possible. I'm not sure how to fit it into my busy schedule, but that would certainly be preferable - to have the knowledge in the hands of those who need it most. I'll bring it up to the school board. When we've reached an internal understanding, I'll see word is sent to you through Raynessia as to what our decision has been."

"I would be grateful," Duke Sergiad said, somewhat relieved. They turned their attention to politely clap for those who'd worked hard to present and put on the fashion show.

As the crowd began to move out of the viewing area, Purrcy asked their guests to please wait patiently for a time. It was better to have them move after the massive press of bodies was gone. They were there long enough for Raynessia to redress in her day's clothing and arrive with them. She was fussed over by her family, who all expressed their gratitude she had been in proper and beautiful clothing. Because the place they were in was narrow, Purrcy and Nyanta stayed seated so those who rose to greet her wouldn't be too pressed.

When they allowed her to speak, Raynessia turned to face Purrcy. Curtsying, she said, "Thank you, Lady Purrcy, for allowing me to present your clothing today."

Purrcy tipped her head. "Thank you for allowing me to study your closet and for being willing to walk the stage for me today."

Saraliya stared at Purrcy. "You? You were the one who designed the dresses Raynessia wore?"

"Yes. I'm glad to hear they met with your approval," Purrcy said politely.

Saraliya and her father locked eyes for a moment. "Some of the designs did seem familiar...," Saraliya said tentatively.

"I'm sure they must have," Purrcy said openly. She turned to the Duke. "I was hoping to be able to have a conference with three of your tailors specifically. There are two that I would like to commission works from. The third I would like to hire to work as my understudy. These you saw today are concept designs only, not finalized ones. I would like to work with them to come up with the final versions and perhaps have their houses be the ones to manufacture this particular line. After all, they are already masters at creating dresses fit for princesses."

The young Iselius frowned in puzzlement. "I thought there weren't any princes or princesses in the Adventurers."

Purrcy's ear tipped. "That's one way to look at it. However...it's also possible to look at it another." He looked at her quizzically. "It's entirely possible that we are all princes and princesses."

He seemed rather stunned by that pronouncement. However, Raynessia nodded her head. "Adventurers are certainly trained as thoroughly as any prince or princess or high noble of the land, though to speak to them of their past they will deny any noble title."

Purrcy stood calmly and regally. She looked at the guests, one at a time, until she finally settled on the Duke. "To Adventurers, nobility in this place has little meaning, and even less at home where we have come from. It is merely in the bearing and beliefs of the inner core. However, make no mistake, there are nobles being born within the ranks of the Adventurers. How can it not occur, when there must be some who lead lest the whole wander in chaos as the cattle do? Whether the nobles being born are born of pride or of a desire to serve is as diverse as it is among the nobility of the People of the Land, the same as individuals between the two kinds are the same, even if backgrounds are different. ...Please continue to watch over us. We will use your discernment to be our prod to continue in the path we wish to go."

She gave a wry look and a light flick of an ear. "That isn't to say, 'please become involved in our politics'. We won't bend our head to any noble of the land, even if one claims they'll give you such. You already understand that the noble is only noble as long as the strength that holds him up in that position remains, and that there is no Adventurer that would consider a Person of the Land strong enough to help him stand before other Adventurers on their merit alone - no insult intended."

"...For all we wish to understand you and all creatures of Theldesia, and to live in peace, we are still creatures above, and beyond your ken. That will only change if this world decides to create another world change and make us less than we are, or bring in another creature that is truly above us, other than itself. If it's possible, we'll create that change ourselves, to remove us from your world again and return to our own. Until then, let us continue to live in our perhaps occasionally uneasy truce of peace and mutual growth. That desire is, in the main, the same between both peoples."

Duke Sergiad displayed none of the child, or the soft teasing from before. Now he also was the full Duke, calmly regal, listening politely, no hint on his face of what his personal emotions were. He didn't hurry with his reply, and the words were also said deliberately. "It's good to know that the desires still remain the same, as they have from the beginning. Will we be given to know how to face the Adventurers of Akiba and the Round Table Council when the nobility has come into its strength?"

Purrcy was pleased with the way he asked the question and some small amount of praise must have come out in her posture, because he slightly reacted to it. "You will," she promised.

"Is it you?" Lord Phenel asked cautiously.

"Or Mister Isaac?" Iselius asked.

"Wasn't it Lord Crusty?" asked Princess Raynessia. "I mean...I know he hasn't been here..., but..."

Purrcy smiled slightly. "Do you have the game of chess here, in Eastal?" Lord Phenel blinked and nodded. "It's a game to teach nobles how to move carefully to remain nobles," she said. "The 'king' is still in hiding and will be revealed at a much later time, I suspect. However the other pieces on the board are beginning to be moved about with a bit more purpose. You'll begin to see them with your own eyes as you continue to watch us." They looked just a little crestfallen. "...I'll give you one clue, or perhaps reminder." They looked at her with tipped heads, waiting to hear her words. "Among Adventurers of Akiba, marriage has not yet occurred. The pieces on the board are not tied by those bonds, nor is it a necessary requirement, though alliances are possible through that medium."

She turned towards the stage slightly, looking at it briefly, ending the conversation. "I will be participating in the next fashion show, as my line is actually originally for beast-halves and has been adapted to those that are not. If you wish to remain, you may; however, if you wish to enjoy the other fine activities and market stalls of the festival, we'll continue to provide you guards. I do recommend you split up just a little so as to not cause yourselves troubles as you move about Akiba. We're doing our best to see that you, our honored guests, are fully protected."

Purrcy turned back to them with a smile and relaxed posture. "I hope you'll please continue to relax today and enjoy yourselves. I'm afraid I wasn't given to know the remainder of your itinerary for your visit. I'll be very busy myself until the festival is completed from this time on. It has been a pleasure to meet the House of Cowen. Thank you for allowing Nyanta and me to be with you until this time." She bowed her head slightly to Sergiad. "I look forward to seeing you again in the future."

He inclined his head also. "Likewise. Thank you for your attention and time."

"My pleasure. My pleasure," she said, and her smile was genuine. She turned to Nyanta and he offered her his elbow. She took it lightly. The both of them nodded their farewell and walked towards the back of the stage to begin getting ready for the beast-half portion of the fashion show.

-:-:-:-:-

"I do hope my caution to them about the pieces on the board was sufficient to protect you," Purrcy said to Nyanta as they rounded the back corner of the stage and headed for the back stairs and the pavilion that protected the clothing and the changing models. "I don't need my knight attacked just because they believe you're the king. I'd rather like to keep my knight around." She smiled at him while squeezing his arm in a sort of a hug.

"Well...but knights can't be kinged - only pawns can be queened," he answered.

"Mmm...I've always wondered about that. In real life it's the knights or bishops that topple or replace the kings and take over, and the pawns that become knights, bishops, and castles. Only rarely does one get to become the Princess Cinderella. The closest in the game of chess where that happens is when a king is castled, and that's with the castle, not the knight, and the king doesn't die, just is protected. That'd be Naotsugu, you know." Nyanta tipped his head, sideways, then nodded agreement with that assessment. "And Tetorō's a bishop, I would think," she added. He agreed with that as well. "But you're most definitely a knight."

"Why's that, nyan?" he asked in a soft teasing voice.

She paused them on the steps and looked at him. "Because you can come suddenly from an unexpected direction and remove a piece that threatens me when no other piece can do it. Even if it seems you're on the opposite side of me from that piece. As long as you're near, I have an unlooked for defender that I rely on to stay standing."

"Meow...then, don't go rushing to the opposite side of the board from me in sudden moves, nyan? A knight can't move quite that fast." He put his arm around her as if to keep her close to him like his words required.

"I'm not the hand that moves me, but I do trust that hand," Purrcy answered, wrapping both arms around his neck loosely. "And it's placing us together. If I do have to leave you, I'll see that sufficient protections are in place until you can arrive next to my side again, or me next to yours." She leaned into him and he pulled her head to his and kissed her long, their tails twining around each other.

" _Sigh_. Hahaue and Chichiue making out in public in broad daylight - again," Tetorō's voice said. "Really. Must you?"

Purrcy's ear flicked at him, a rather "shushing" motion. They did break it up, though. He was standing below them on the ground, his arms folded as if irritated, but his eyes were happy. "Come here and we'll kiss mew, too," Nyanta said and they both held out their arms to him.

Tetorō waffled, his expression mostly revulsion, but when his eyes went to Purrcy and he saw her expression, he went. He placed his arms around both of them and they around him. He allowed Purrcy to kiss him, but dodged Nyanta's tease, then danced out of reach. They laughed with him and turned to continue up the stairs, arms around each other still. "Very well done, Heika," Tetorō said softly from behind them.

Purrcy stopped and turned to look back at him over her shoulder, her eyes wide. He was paused between two steps and on his face was a look of soft pride. It took a few turns of her ears, but finally she answered, "Thank you...?" She tipped her head at him. "Have...I...passed a test?"

Tetorō continued up the steps to reach them and held out his hand. Purrcy turned and gave him her hand, since she couldn't think of anything he might be asking for. He took it, then bowed over it and kissed the back of it. Releasing it, he stood, then bowed formally, his arms at his sides. "Please, allow me to remain as Guard of the Queen, and protecting bishop. I shall do all in my power to see you remain unharmed and strengthened."

Purrcy felt just slightly embarrassed but hid it as best she could, her hand going to curl slightly at her heart. "Of course, Lord Tetorō. Haven't I already asked for you? It's a cold thing to consider walking forward without you. Please...take care of me." Tetorō rose and looked her in the eye, a smile on his face, but tears threatening in his eyes that glistened.

"Hmm...then, does that make me the queen's castle?" a baritone voice said from behind her. Purrcy turned to look and saw Michael standing at the top of the stairs, leaning against the frame of the doorway into the pavilion. He stood upright when her eyes were on him, though his arms were still folded.

"I suppose so," she agreed, still slightly overwhelmed. Nyanta nodded as well. "Though that makes me wonder if the Eagles are all pawns, not that I don't think highly of them, because I do."

"You do tell them all where to go and what to do and make them run around for you," Tetorō said wryly.

"Ah, ...true," she looked back at him and said it with chagrin. Then she shook her head and began them moving up again. "Well, so then Naotsugu is king's castle, Akatsuki is king's knight, and...Marie is king's bishop. The four juniors...and all of Akiba...are the pawns, with Minori the one being sent to the other side to be crowned because she is willing to fight hard for it."

"Meow...mew know your pieces well," Nyanta said accusingly.

Purrcy looked distractedly into the pavilion, looking for someone in particular, though her eyes needed to finish adjusting to the lessened light. "Mmm...yes, maybe. There are likely other pieces on the board." She turned and looked at him. "As a matter of fact, there are. It's just a teaching game, after all. Real life is full of a great number of 'pieces'. Even the ones in Akiba are a large number to reckon with. And when the opposite side is defeated, one comes to find that it isn't always as simple as just toppling the opposing king. It often includes assimilating the remaining pieces into one's own army and moving forward again from that point to the next."

There was a blink and then Purrcy was looking down into the dark eyes of Akatsuki. She smiled. "Just the person I was looking for. I heard you finally got your just reward."

Akatsuki smiled a small smile. "Yes." Her eyes were narrowed in triumph. "Thank you very much."

"My pleasure," Purrcy smiled back. "Make sure you charge at least one extra gold again next year. Inflation happens, you know."

Akatsuki's face paused, then slowly the smile turned into an evil grin. Purrcy leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Please, continue to enjoy yourself today. I'll be counting on you, too. I'll feel safe knowing you're watching from above. Is Shiroe safely tucked away?"

Akatsuki nodded once. "But, I think he plans on coming to see your show."

"Oh?" Purrcy raised an eyebrow of whiskers. "Well...I hope he's pleased with it. He can't wear it, after all." Akatsuki paused at the image, then giggled. Those around her smiled in response. Purrcy looked up at Michael. "Thank you for strengthening me in my moment of complete and utter panic."

"It happens," Michael shrugged. "Even the most experienced fighter pilot can freeze up. We've learned to help each other cope."

Purrcy gave him a small bow. "Thank you."

"Why?" Tetorō asked.

"Aaahh...why did I panic?" she asked for clarification. He nodded. She shook her head at herself. "I suddenly wanted to lock down the whole city for the fear of proper protection of our guests. I'd reached a point of hubris, I think. It came out a bit there at the end."

They all looked at her, eyelids dropping in disbelief. "...a _bit_ , eh...?" Michael said sarcastically.

Purrcy shrugged, then pointed a thumb at Tetorō. "I passed."

Michael shook his head. Akatsuki did a little as well. But Nyanta laughed, a full-on humored laugh. When he recovered, the others looking at him like he was a bit mad, he shook his head ruefully. "Shiroe-ichi does like to see that kind of strength. It makes him feel not so much the only Dark Machiavelli in the world."

Purrcy gave a feigned sniff, lifting her nose slightly. "Of course he isn't. Why should he have the monopoly of such a distinction. Even Indicus was one. She just went about it the wrong way and had to be taken out - the black queen by the white. Shiroe did his job and took out the black king. Now the remaining black pieces are ours. He's probably looking forward to tomorrow as much as I am." She ducked her head and gave a teasing look, "even if we are also both extremely nervous and worried about if we can pull it off."

There was a sigh in her ear. "How can you even know where I am?" he asked her.

She shrugged lightly. "Because spells show up in the code realm. Besides, Tetorō wouldn't have known I'd passed if you hadn't told him. The only way you could have judged it is if you'd seen it and heard it yourself." She gave him a scolding look as his image floated into focus. "I do hope you aren't going to stay in hiding until it's too late."

He shook his head. "No. I won't. I've already promised."

"Good," she said. "Now, go play everyone, or sit to watch or whatever. We have work to be attending to. But no peeking, Shiroe. I don't need a peeping Tom in the back disrupting the work."

He sighed. "Yes, Hahaue."

She moved again to stride over to the racks of clothing, the majority of which were hers since the last fashion show, plus the new line. Everyone else took up positions of protection as she got the models ready and coordinated with the MC.

-:-:-:-:-

"And...here's our very special guest, the designer of Shopping District 8's H12b clothing line, the person you've all been waiting to meet, finally coming out of quiet seclusion...Lady Purrcy of Log Horizon!"

Purrcy and Nyanta moved out of the shadows of the stage curtains to walk into the limelight. The models parted to let them through, Nazuna included among them to help her friend out and smiling for her. The felinoids held their heads proudly and walked gracefully to stand at the join of the stage and the runway. There was no doubt she had designed the clothing, and more particularly the clothing they were wearing. Behind them were arrayed the princesses, each on the arm of a prince...but they were themselves dressed as the queen and king. Business, modern, but still the top royalty of the day's event.

Purrcy tipped her head at the fans cheering in the crowd, her ears pricked forward prettily and her tail curling behind her. She slightly squeezed Nyanta's arm and he raised a paw for quiet. The crowd settled down enough she could be heard. "Thank you very much for your warm welcome," she said, her voice now amplified for the space they were in, but not overwhelmingly so. "So much work goes into creating something that can be enjoyed. Please allow me to express my gratitude to the crafters who have worked so diligently to make the creations I see in my mind a reality. They work so very hard." She paused for the clapping that always went along with thanks like this.

"I've enjoyed seeing it fully realized and being worn. It's a dream come true for any creative person who loves to invent and create new things, but needs the helping hands of others. Thank you to the models and staff who have been willing to participate today so that you and I could all see it together in it's full glorious reality." Another obligatory pause. "Of course, there wouldn't be a today like this without those who have put things together. Any gratitude expressed must include Crescent Moon League with Guildmistress Marielle, and Marine Organization's construction division, and all others who have helped to make this festival and event safe, fun, and put together so professionally. Thank you."

When the applause died down, she said, "And...of course...we must also thank you, our fans and friends who have come to see with your own eyes, and have purchased already, so many of our creations. I hope you've enjoyed yourselves today, and that you'll continue to enjoy yourselves here at the Akiba Pumpkin Festival. Thank you very much." She bowed to the crowd in front of her, then to each side as they cheered themselves.

Purrcy and Nyanta stepped back and assisted with the raffle drawing to see who would be able to come to the meet-and-greet later, Marielle being the fun hostess for the drawing and Purrcy bantering with her lightly as Marielle required. When the raffle was over, Marielle closed the fashion show, advertised one of the next activities, and the models, Nyanta, and Purrcy retired into the pavilion to begin clean up.

In the middle of putting the show away, Shiroe showed up, actually in person this time. Purrcy allowed herself to be distracted by him. He was her guildmaster after all. No one could complain. Not even Calasin who was just as busy back there as Purrcy was, working to direct his people in getting the clothing back onto wagons to get back to the warehouse. He'd already given his thanks and congratulations.

"Purrcy, that was marvelous," Shiroe said to her, his eyes shining.

"Did you think so?" she asked him. "Which part in particular?"

"The general opening to your debut." His eyes looked her up and down. "I'd have you wear it tomorrow if I could get away with it."

"I'll take out the things that scream 'royal' then, shall I?" she asked him. Instantly it was a slightly calmer version.

He looked at it critically, then nodded. "I like it. The touch of a reminder of this afternoon is good."

"I'm actually a bit surprised you want me so obvious from the beginning," she said to him, pulling him away from some increasing noise near them.

He shook his head. "First impressions...you've already set them. Everyone's been dying to know just what you are. Now we're telling them. It will give them time to get used to the idea. If we waited until later, we'd have to build on whatever we started with and might not get where we needed to go properly."

She nodded. "I see. Very well." Her ear twitched and he pulled up and glanced the direction her ear was pointing.

Softly he said, "They'll have to finish up here without you. Let's go."

Immediately Michael and a rather large number of guards had the four of them (Akatsuki was with Shiroe and Nyanta still with Purrcy) surrounded and were quickly taking them out and away to safety. Tetorō joined them outside the pavilion, keeping an eye on things as well, though he moved central to the ring of guards...that got widened by a second ring as they hit the street.

They didn't rush, but they didn't stay to gawk either, and soon enough they were out of the main bustle. They took a circuitous route home...and bypassed it for the pond and tree, the guards attriting on the way to stand watch on the pathway leading to it until it was just senior officers again. Naotsugu was watching over Marielle, who still had to direct things at the fashion show clean up, but even they showed up after a little while longer. She'd been the focus of attention after Calasin escaped back to his warehouse. The pavilion had emptied faster than normal this year. There were too many guildmasters who wanted to know just why Purrcy was....


	9. What is Purrcy, Really?

Purrcy bent down and trailed her fingers in the pond, making ripples that spread out towards the center and lifted and slightly stirred the fall leaves floating at the edge of the pond. As the water sparkled in the midafternoon sun her gaze went distant. When she rose again, her eyes brushed over the canopy of the silver maple, then finally settled on Shiroe. He was watching her, his expression closed. She considered him for a moment, then sighed. She walked over to him and faced him. "You have questions you need answered, I think, or are you really intending to wait and see if I'll cave to the pressure of being in front of everyone at once and blurt out whatever it is you think I'm hiding from you?" She kept her voice mild.

"Are you?" he asked, also staying mild.

"Ask me your questions." She stood waiting to hear him.

"Where is Indicus?"

Purrcy tipped her head slightly, then an ear flicked. "I don't know. She was willing to be my experiment, however. She knew coming back was not an option she would find palatable. When I learn where she ended up, or might have ended up, I'll tell you."

Shiroe considered, then nodded a small nod. He pursed his lips just a little, then accused, "It seems to me you've claimed to have done far more in two years than is possible, particularly since the last half year was done as a Vengeful Spirit using hosts." He held up a hand to forestall her. "Not that I'm saying those things haven't been done. More like, ...the essence of you has not, singularly, and I'm suspicious you still aren't." He tipped his head at her and blinked an owlish blink at her. "That is to say...I think we still don't have 'just Purrcy' with us yet."

Purrcy's tail swished from one side to the other. "Who else would I be?" she asked.

"I'm sure I can't know everything, but I am sure the world AI looks through your eyes nearly more than you do still. I also still believe you are Overwritten, or are carrying an Observer within you. Or that is to say, now that the layer that was Nureha is gone, this next layer we are facing is the layer of the Observers and Overwritten. You keep your real status data hidden, and if you are Summonable, you're accessible from the monster database." He gave her his evidence so she would properly defend herself, if she could.

Purrcy tipped her head. "It is true that this next level will address the Overwritten, and if I were in parts and multiple things I could only contain an Observer. After all, aren't Overwrittens always creatures of thoughtless destruction?"

Shiroe was shaking his head. "Purrcy doesn't believe that. Rather that because they can only access new monsters, they must of necessity be creatures of destruction. But a Summonable Adventurer counts as a new and unexpected monster, one that isn't destructive by its created intention. If the Overwritten themselves aren't destructive, Purrcy would be a very tempting solution for whatever purpose they have in coming to this world."

Purrcy looked sharply at Shiroe. "...If I were possessed by either an Overwritten or Observer, Shiroe, what would you do to cast it out and prevent it from ever happening again?"

Shiroe frowned slightly, then he froze, his brain obviously calculating. "The world AI would allow it in order for just such a solution to be found." He didn't receive an answer. "It isn't necessary to subject Purrcy to it. But...wouldn't finding that solution mean locking them in their server, left alone to never return home, to all go mad, never able to die? I cannot support that."

Purrcy shook her head. "For what purpose would have been Indicus' sacrifice then?"

Shiroe paused, then nodded. "Right. If we find a way home, there's potentially a way for them to go home as well." He chewed on that for a bit. "So...both criteria have to be met in order for this level to be completed?"

"Yes," Purrcy answered.

"Isn't going home going to take a long time, then?" Tetorō asked sadly.

Purrcy shook her head. "Not 'going home'. Learning what the way home is or isn't. Our supposition from before was that if we can accept our other half - the half that lies within our death - and combine with it again, we'll finally become whole, awaking in our old world. Before we can actually convince others to try it, we needed one to experiment on that theory. Then we can follow the path they take from this side to know if it worked or not. It's an extremely difficult experiment to follow that path without also ending up where they go. Whoever follows it must be able to remain here and tell us what they learned - to look through the window and tell us what they see, but not step through the door."

"Am I ever going to get to marry my wife?" Nyanta asked dryly. His arms were crossed and his tail waved in slow curls.

Purrcy looked back at him in surprise, her eyes wide. "I'm still here…? I did say I'd always still be here with you."

"Well, the world AI will surely be," he said, "but I'd like to know that it's Purrcy I'm getting married to, nya."

"Well, I'll surely be upset if you end up married to anyone else," she answered. She twitched an ear at him, then turned back to Shiroe. "Do you have any other questions that should be answered before we get to the next couple of days?"

"You still haven't answered my last one," he answered.

Purrcy looked at him, then flicked an ear. "Very well. What do you need?"

"First, let us see your real status screen, nothing hidden." Everyone was moving to be where they could see it, their expressions serious, but not threatening.

Purrcy went inside briefly to remove the restrictions. "Okay." They all looked at her. The status readout for her read:

Purrcy - Caretaker  
Class: TechnoMage  
Sub-class: Summonable  
Level: 117  
Race: Felinoid  
Status Effect: Lucky +20

She looked around at them. "Of course, I've already told you this isn't everything, just what the base code can display."

"Can you show us the rest?" Shiroe asked. "Congratulations on the Class change and level increase, by the way."

"Thank you," she tipped her head at him. She was gone just a little longer this time, and this time, instead of the status screen they looked at normally, the longer status showed up externally like the code had for the Hacker demonstration.

Purrcy - Caretaker - Justice of the East - Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami  
Class: TechnoMage, Class: Druid, Class: Enchanter, Class: Transformation Mage  
Sub-class: Summonable  
Sub-class: Actor, Sub-class: Animal Trainer, Sub-class: Apothecary, Sub-class: Apprentice, Sub-class: Chef, Sub-class: Counselor, Sub-class: Dancer, Sub-class: Equestrian, Sub-class: Hacker, Sub-class: Housekeeper, Sub-class: Inventor, Sub-class: Jack-of-All-Trades, Sub-class: Linguist, Sub-class: Merchant, Sub-class: Midwife, Sub-class: Mythozoologist, Sub-class: Nanny, Sub-class: Negotiator, Sub-class: Noble, Sub-class: Oracle, Sub-class: Politician, Sub-class: Scribe, Sub-class: Shapeshifter, Sub-class: Surgeon, Sub-class: Tailor, Sub-class: Teacher, Sub-class: Therapist, Sub-class: Tracker, Sub-class: Traveler, Sub-class: Treasure Hunter, Sub-class: Veterinarian, Sub-class: Wife, Sub-class: Witch  
Level: 117  
Race: Felinoid  
Status Effect: Lucky +20.

Purrcy let everyone take their time. Tetorō pointed, "You've already had 'Noble' added."

Purrcy nodded. "At about the same time as we were talking about it. You've all got it now, too. My guess is we won't get titles, per se, just go up levels in Noble."

"Jack-of-All-Trades?" Michael asked

"The list was getting too long of all the minor things I was adding, so I created it and suggested that the Superuser just shove them in there until the levels got high enough that it made sense to create specific sub-classes."

"Is it using it?" he asked.

Purrcy frowned. "I can't tell. New ones that should be low enough to be put in there keep showing up. Wife and Witch are both some of those. They're both really low level since they're new, but they showed up anyway."

"That's what the Apprentice sub-class is for," Shiroe commented, with half his attention.

"Oh," Purrcy answered. "I wondered what that was for...but now I'm afraid to erase Jack-of-All-Trades for fear I'll lose whatever is in there."

"The wedding hasn't happened yet," Nyanta pointed out.

"I know, right? But we've already promised, I've been acting like one, and you call me one, so Wife's been added...I think is how that worked. Really it does confuse me sometimes." Purrcy shook her head, frowning a bit. "Like, shouldn't Noble and Politician be the same? And Mythozoologist and Veterinarian? Or Therapist and Counselor? Just why does it need the finer distinctions? Couldn't it have just combined them into the closest one to what it meant in the first place? Maybe it doesn't have an erase function when it discovers it used the wrong word at the beginning, or something," Purrcy shrugged. "I'm not even sure why it added Witch when I was already an Apothecary. I only want to work on inventing potions, and I've already got Inventor." She waved a hand helplessly.

"Purrcy," Shiroe said thoughtfully, "it's Oracle, isn't it?" He looked her in the eye.

She looked back at him. "Yes. That was added when I was made a Summonable. I didn't know then why or what it meant in the context of this world. I've wondered on occasion if it was meant to be as much a protection as a way for the Superuser, or world AI as you call it, to interact with the world on a more intimate level."

"You've really done all those things yourself?" he was still struggling a little.

"Yes, Shiroe. My first year wasn't a straight line to Akiba, after all. I did most of it in the first year anyway, with more people interactions in the first half of the second year. You've watched the Eagles. When you're teaching the world what you already know, the levels can increase quickly and smoothly, particularly when you use the method Terorō used instinctively from the beginning. Visualization before action increases your points, so that you never have to have a moment you aren't learning and increasing your skill points in something. Acting on that visualization is required as well, of course, but that goes without saying. Just because I was in Nureha's body didn't mean I wasn't also still increasing during that time, as evidenced by my level increases since you last saw my statuses. Also, they don't show the level for the sub-classes. Many of them are fairly low. They're useful, but I don't use them often. I mean really. It should just have one sub-class called 'human' or something. The list is way too long."

"How does the world read your mind, to know what you're visualizing?" he asked.

"I have no idea," Purrcy admitted. "You're always doing something, even if it's just sitting and thinking, or just sitting. Somehow something takes every moment of time that we're doing a 'thing' and increments the level counter of that 'thing' for that time and effort spent on it. The more effort put into it, the greater the level increment. That's why Tetorō moves up quickly. He thinks very hard and really tries to understand what he saw, and implements a full understanding long before he actually acts to perform the same spell for himself. Your own scroll spells are similar, actually - the ones you had to think long and hard on, anyway."

She tipped her head at him. "Haven't you already, in your own few short twenty-something years done so very much? And most of the more complex things since you were seventeen? How much more can you do by the time you are forty? Fifty? Sixty? Time flows by constantly and always there is something to be doing and learning. To take what I've already learned in my time on Earth and apply it to accepted knowledge here has perhaps been more difficult in scope, but I've worked hard to learn how to do it with minimal waste. The end sum is that it's an artifact, an artificial construct from the original programming meant to simulate what we do as humans. But now we're actually here and it still works that way so it's confusing."

"But it didn't read our minds before. It kept track of actions," Shiroe protested.

"Mmm, but it kept track of everything we did during the time we were online. It's still doing that. What use would it be if for all the time you spent on creating a scroll, you only received points for the actual writing down of the words? How could that determine the level of scroll you've just written? For magic to work properly in this world, it has to know what you're doing mentally, too, not just physically. It's part of the mind-body disconnect-relearning we're doing. It's a very metaphysical topic that you could debate for years with one who cares to think deeply on such things." She put her status back into hiding.

Tetorō sighed. "At least now I know what your bonus against Adventurers is: Lucky +20. What an insane status effect."

Purrcy grinned. "I got that as a protective and helping bonus. The Superuser really wants me to succeed. Really badly. Enough to just add that for its own benefit. Talk about a cheater artifact. ...Though, I did work it up from +10 with my own wits. You already know that if I can find a cheat to the system, I'll exploit it."

Shiroe shook his head. "...World AI, and I really am trying to work on the why."

Purrcy shrugged. She wasn't sure either. "If you don't have any further pressing deep questions, then perhaps you can tell me exactly how you want the meeting in the morning to go?" Purrcy asked Shiroe directly.

Shiroe looked at her a long moment, then finally relented and nodded. They spent the next hour discussing it as they waited for the time of the Meet and Greet to arrive.

-:-:-:-:-

"Duke Cowen, Lord Iselius, these are Guildmaster Nakalnad and Minister Kazuhiko of Minami. Nakalnad, Kazuhiko: Sergiad and his heir, Iselius, of Maihama, the largest of the Free Cities of Eastal. These are their other family members." Isaac rattled off the other names politely. "Thank you all for coming to our demonstrations this afternoon." Polite greetings were given all around. Isaac found such things rather dull and irritating, really. He was getting better at it, though, having spent enough time at Maihama now to get used to it. He had to keep up his idol status with Iselius, after all. Of course, he kept trying to discourage that, and not succeeding. He'd been rather shoehorned into it the first time they'd gone to train the soldiers of Maihama and he'd ended up protecting Iselius from assassination at his birthday and presentation as heir at that time. The birthday party recently past hadn't been quite so exciting, thank goodness.

The fighting guilds were each taking a day on the main training field closest to town to show their strengths and be just generally exhibitionists. They'd caught wind of Crescent Moon's plan to earn a little income and decided to ride those coat tails. They'd charged a minimal fee for people to come see, and a slightly larger one for a number of food and military gear vendors to set up booths around the outside edge of the field. They were doing a surprising business already, and it had added to the draw to get people to come out to watch the exhibition. It was a good symbiotic relationship, really. Each guild would get the day's worth of coin, so today's was his, and he was already pleased.

It had put him in a good mood. He needed it after learning the morning's news. He wasn't sure he could believe that the ghost in the dungeon and the person who had been said to be on the runway were the same, but he could believe the Hacker and that person were the same. The ghost was just a confusing data point at the moment, so he was setting it as an outlier for now.

"Isaac-kun," Iselius called to him. Isaac looked down at the small boy. Even at ten now, he was still pretty short. "Are there going to be Adventurer versus Adventurer battles today?"

Isaac wanted to kill his assistant for teaching Iselius to call him by the childish diminutive, but it was so ingrained in Iselius now, there wasn't anything for it. He'd gotten used to it at Maihama, but to have it said out loud here made him cringe again. Especially because of the looks Nakalnad and Kazuhiko were giving him. He tried hard to ignore them. "Yes. Today there will be a one-on-one tournament. Tomorrow afternoon it will be D.D.D. against a relative newcomer group." He looked over to Nakalnad and decided to send a response barb his way. "You'd like to attend that one, I'd think."

Nakalnad raised an eyebrow. "Why? Who is it?"

"A group that still thanks your guild for allowing them to go up five levels in one battle."

Nakalnad's face fell. With some effort he managed to recover enough to say, "They're doing well still, then?"

"Yup," Isaac looked towards the field. "And still attacking things way too big for them...and winning."

Nakalnad shook his head regretfully. "I guess I'll come, then. If we helped them get started, we may as well see they've really been properly grateful."

"Oh...they have been," Ains said calmly from behind them. "They seem to have a rather intense drive."

"So I noticed," Nakalnad said dryly. "I'm a bit surprised D.D.D is willing to take their beatings. ...Or is it that neither of you are willing to?"

Both Isaac and Ains fixed Nakalnad with glares. He looked away with a smug expression.

"Is it a group come here from Minami?" Sergiad asked politely, politically breaking into the cold war about to start.

Nakalnad paused and looked at Isaac, clearly not sure. Isaac's brow furrowed. "We hadn't seen them until we were in Minami, and they were really low level there."

Nakalnad shook his head. "They were guilded with Log Horizon. You know in Minami there's only Plant Hwyaden."

Ains frowned. "They guilded with Log Horizon there, then, but they were already in place at Shopping District 8 when we got there the first time after being at the Government Building. Shiroe never left us, so he didn't sign the papers. I wonder how that happened?"

"They seem to do a lot of strange things, Log Horizon," Nakalnad commented.

Kazuhiko cleared his throat and looked a little abashed. "Actually, come to think of it...." They all turned to look at him. "They may have come from the prison. HackerM1 pulled about that many out of the 1HP level when we cleaned up...I wonder if they signed up under him?"

" _Under_ him? Wasn't he Plant Hwayden, too?" Nakalnad's eyebrow raised.

Kazuhiko looked away. "His guild tag said so...."

Isaac and Ains looked at each other. "HackerM1's a Hacker instructor here at the Academy. They can do some crazy stuff," Isaac said. "It's possible."

"He's here? As an instructor?" Kazuhiko asked.

Isaac nodded. "He's in Log Horizon, too, over the fighters."

Kazuhiko looked like he wanted to ask a question, but wasn't sure he should. Isaac raised an eyebrow, inviting it if he had the courage. Kazuhiko finally took a breath and asked, "When you guys went into the Maze of Eternity, everyone on my list showed back up, but there was someone else - other than Indicus - who didn't. Do you know anything about Purrcy?"

Everyone's eyes went wide. "Purrcy!?" "What do you know about Purrcy?" Isaac asked immediately.

Kazuhiko backed up a step and held up a hand. "Ah...she helped us find out what Indicus and Mizufa were up to and bring them down. She was the one Indicus was yelling at while we were live feed in the Special's section. The one she thought was inside KR."

Isaac blinked. "You mean...she really was a ghost?"

Kazuhiko nodded. "Yes, she was."

"No, way!" That was said by multiple voices as well.

"She was the final boss before the final boss in the Maze of Eternity that nearly wiped us all out, or her mirror was, anyway," Nakalnad said coolly, staring Kazuhiko down. "She was the key Shiroe brought with him from here."

Kazuhiko nodded. "Sounds about right," he sighed. "Indicus sent her up here to take Akiba down. She did the complete reverse, in the end."

"She almost didn't," Ains said almost angrily. "It was only because of her that the Plague Master came."

"It was only because of her the Plague Master was taken out before we all fell to him," Isaac rebuked him. "You heard what Rieze said." Ains looked away, his lips pressed together.

"Ah...is this the same Purrcy that was our hostess yesterday and today?" Saraliya asked, a bit timidly.

They all looked at her and she shrank back just a little. Isaac relaxed a bit. "Yes, it is, Lady Saraliya."

Kazuhiko perked up a little. "So, she did return, then?"

Isaac nodded, almost not able to keep his face from going as sour as Ains'. "Yes. She showed back up here in Akiba a few days before the festival, apparently."

"She didn't look like a ghost," Iselius said, "or feel like one either, the time she adjusted my shirt collar."

"That's good, then," Kazuhiko relaxed. "If she hadn't recovered properly, then we wouldn't have done our job properly and I'd be sending Nakalnad back to see it was done."

Nakalnad looked sourly at him. "Not. You could kick Shiroe there if you wanted, though. Maybe his group from your place would have enjoyed that."

Isaac gave a sudden laugh. "That's no joke. They would have. They had a hard time hiding their disappointment when we showed up with plenty of time to get ready for the festival. They'd been promised slots if we went over the Winter Festival."

Nakalnad looked horrified. "He was planning on it going _that_ long?"

Ains nodded. "He figured if you bailed, we'd pull in more of ours. Really, we were just as happy to have it done expeditiously as well."

Nakalnad shook his head. "What is she, anyway? Ghosts were just ghosts down there."

They looked at each other. "A felinoid," Kazuhiko said carefully.

"A high-level Hacker," Ains said bitterly.

"A Lady of high pedigree," Sergiad said calmly in his quiet voice.

Isaac sighed after the stunned pause that statement brought. "We're still trying to figure that out, Nakalnad," he openly admitted. "All we really know is that she's Log Horizon's treasure, but you knew that already. They protect her three layers deep. You'll have to decide for yourself, if you get the chance to see her again. We got told a new thing about her today that's got us all reeling again." He looked quizzically at Ains. "It was open, too. Do you think Shiroe's about to pop the top on that?" He looked sharply at the Duke for a moment. "And it was open before the Duke, too." He chewed on his lower lip.

Ains' expression changed and he looked at Kazuhiko, then glanced at Nakalnad, finally looking along the Duke's family and stopping at the Duke. "Did she say anything to you?"

Sergiad looked back calmly, then answered, "I think the thing that might be meaningful to this discussion was that she said Lord Shiroe was planning on sending her and her husband-to-be as ambassadors to Maihama in the future."

Ains looked at Isaac. "Where was Nyanta-san, again?"

"Ambassador-ing to the beast-half villages, hunting them out." Isaac said coolly.

The two of them were silent for a bit, then Ains sighed. "I think...we can expect something tomorrow."

Isaac looked at their guests, both of Minami and Maihama, then nodded. "I concur. He's letting her out of the box." He suddenly groaned and put his hand to his head.

"Good god," Ains threw his hands in the air and stalked off three paces to cool off, the steam almost visible from his head.

"What is it?" Kazuhiko asked, concerned.

"She's only...the top --" Isaac bit it off. "Well...you'll get to see her tomorrow, most likely, but don't expect much. Shiroe keeps his secrets tightly held, and she may be worse."

Nakalnad looked mildly irritated. Kazuhiko relaxed, seeming relieved. The Cowen family looked mostly confused, but Sergiad had a calm, almost amused look on his face, as if he was watching young people trying to comprehend things just beyond their reach. Isaac turned away, just a bit sour. For once, he wished Crusty was here to handle things. He'd been the only one able to keep Shiroe even remotely under control.

He called for the start of the tournament. They needed the distraction. The conversation for the rest of the afternoon was carefully kept off the beginning topics.

-:-:-:-:-

Rieze leaned back against the wall of the storefront in her chosen stake-out location. She had her arms crossed and a frown on her face so people were leaving her alone, for the most part. She wasn't in her uniform, for once, and with the new hair, which she loved because it was still blonde and curly but didn't stand out from her head as if she were a doll with giant metal springs sticking out of her head, she was almost not recognizable by the general mass of people moving past her. She was getting hit on a lot more, as had started happening regularly when she went out like this, though. Her favorite response was a scowl and a flick of her middle finger. When that wasn't sufficient, she pulled her knife and fingered it lovingly, then invited the man over to 'play'. That usually was sufficient.

It really wasn't easy to be female in the world of gaming. _Elder Tales_ actually had a high percentage of female players, comparatively, but the females in Theldesia were probably about equally split between actual female players and males in female bodies. Females playing in male bodies was probably the smallest percentage of all, but Rieze certainly understood why they would have done it. Now they were all here really, there were plenty of men wanting what few females there were. It was a daily struggle to not reduce the male population just for looking at her longer than a quarter of a second. Or for looking at any female player that way, for that matter.

She tried to be more lenient during festival time, with the women who wanted to play loose and with the men who wanted to enjoy the fairer sex as part of their relaxation. She had to bite her tongue every festival that Marielle just had to host the fashion show. Rieze was willing to put up with 'dress-up' at Water Maple, but it just wasn't right in public to allow the men to feel like they could continue to ogle all they wanted. They'd actually had several 'philosophical discussions' about it - not during festival times - and Rieze hadn't been able to win yet.

It burned still, that the newest member of the Water Maple Maidens was a sell-out, too. Rieze's eyebrow twitched, and her look got darker. Everyone passing her gave her three more feet of distance. She'd gone to the beast-half fashion show for Nazuna's sake. Nazuna had been in it, and super-excited about finally getting to see the designer of H12b. Rieze had said, with raised eyebrows, "You get to see her whenever you want. You already know who she is." That hadn't been good enough.

What Nazuna had really wanted was for Rieze's ticket to be called for the raffle drawing. That hadn't made any sense either. All Nazuna had to do was let Log Horizon know she was coming to visit and show up. Why did it matter to show up at a Meet & Greet where Nazuna would have to share Purrcy's attention with all sorts of other geeky fans? They'd already gotten their exclusive fashion show with her anyway. And Nazuna had worn some of the new line on the runway. What more could you ask for?

Rieze sighed, shook herself, and looked again at the entrance to the Guild Hall across the plaza from where she was waiting. At the top of that building was her own office (Crusty's really), and it's exclusive entrance to the Round Table conference room. Each guild that was a member of the Round Table Council had an office on the top floor, and each office had a door that opened into that room. There had been a lot of dull meetings in that room over the last two years. There had been a few super-exciting ones as well. The first one had been that way, though she'd been standing in an advisory position that day, not sitting in the chair.

Since Purrcy had shown up in town, there had already been other meetings met with anticipation by the attendees, though they hadn't seemed quite as exciting at the time. The business negotiation in a completely different room had been more exciting, in the end. The sum total was feeling rather...portentous.

She'd watched the other guildmasters who hadn't been informed of who the designer of H12b was invade the stage pavilion and chase off Calasin and Marielle. She hadn't bothered to join them, since she'd already known. That had earned her a bit of wrath on the side, but really. More than half of them knew by now. How could it really be a surprise anymore?

She'd just taken a headcount of who _hadn't_ shown up. Grandale and Radio Market. Somehow that wasn't surprising. Isaac was still a thick blockhead to have not figured it out by now. It was understandable that Ains would be clueless. His head was in the clouds anyway. Perhaps the most surprising was that Roderick hadn't figured it out yet.

Soujirou also hadn't shown up. Rieze wondered if that was because Nazuna had told him or if he'd been told himself earlier. His ties were the most in question. He was part of the wedding party, but always held himself strictly neutral. Rieze wondered if this current movement would damage his reputation in that regard. She sighed and shifted. It wouldn't be a good thing if it did. Michitaka also hadn't shown up, but Rieze knew he was busy. He'd called in to confirm it had been Purrcy and sounded confused, but not said much else about it.

Rieze took a breath, looked up to the darkening sky, and sighed. She really didn't quite know what to do. She was already feeling like a co-conspirator, but it wasn't really by choice, it felt. More like she'd been maneuvered into that position, then suddenly had it revealed that's where she was. It had been new, the first introduction to Purrcy at Water Maple. She hadn't made the connection at the business negotiation. She'd been surprised to learn Purrcy was the main "boss" Vengeful Spirit. It had taken from the time they'd died in that last massive explosion in the final room of the Maze of Eternity until she finally chose to follow her heart and think of Purrcy as a friend and walk through the mirror to come to terms with that revelation.

She was also pretty sure she was still the only other guildmaster outside the Log Horizon-Crescent Moon pairing that knew what Purrcy really was from early on. Only she, and they, had been in enough unique experiences to know. It confused her, why they were trusting her this much. Wasn't she known as the hard-nosed D.D.D. Trainer who wouldn't put up with anything? Yet here she was, being placed in a position where she was having to put up with it. She knew too much to not just let it ride and see where it went. And oddly, rather than make her mad, which most would expect her to become...she had found herself rather saddened by it.

A warm touch on Rieze's cheek made her start, until she realized it was her own hand. She'd been doing that subconsciously a lot since the surprise training attack on the city. _Why? Why had Purrcy singled her out?_ Comfort. A promise...one that Rieze couldn't even promise herself.

D.D.D. relied on her, as long Crusty wasn't around to rely on. Log Horizon's warriors were relying her. In some sense Akiba did as well. For those things Rieze had to stay strong. For herself she had to stay strong so she could keep walking forward one day at a time. But Purrcy was changing even her. When Rieze confronted Purrcy with the fiery strength she confronted others with and won, Purrcy presented nothing for that strength to act on and won. When Rieze ignored Purrcy, Purrcy showed up and made her lie down in softness. When Rieze wanted Purrcy's attention, Purrcy was nowhere to be found. It was maddening.

At the same time, it was pulling at her desire, and reminding her that inside were things she had been hiding from. The walk through the mirror had showed it glaringly. If the sphinx had been Purrcy, Rieze wouldn't have believed it. Purrcy couldn't know her that well. Yet...at the same time...looking back on it, it had felt the same as if she had been in the presence of Purrcy. She wanted Purrcy to come out of the Guild Hall and stand in front of her again so she could tell. Feel what the differences were, know for herself if they had been the same creature or different ones. It might help her know how to move forward.

Rieze stood up on her feet, glaring at the Guild Hall door again. Purrcy was in there for her Meet and Greet right now, having come in surrounded by guards again, Tetorō and Nyanta with her as usual, completely unapproachable. It was understandable today. They didn't need fans swamping her, and they were likely hiding from the few guildmasters who were still trying to wrap their brains around what was going on. That didn't make it easier, or better.

Rieze needed to know how to face the Round Table by tomorrow morning. She had to protect her guild, protect Akiba, but a part of her now wanted to protect Purrcy as well. Rieze was sure Shiroe could handle that, so she shouldn't worry about it, but she was all the same and it made her feel like a traitor. Purrcy would have to answer to it tonight, and that would spoil the girl's night out, the only night Purrcy would get to vacation this whole festival. So Rieze would be a double traitor for having to bring it up - and that was what was making her sad. She just wasn't sure she could be a friend _and_ a city leader. It worked with Marielle because they were equals. Purrcy was different.

Rieze stood still letting that thought swirl around a sudden calm emptiness inside. Purrcy had just been another Adventurer in another guild. As a Vengeful Spirit, she had been one to pity. With the sudden connection Rieze had made today, she'd been made to understand the Machiavelli-in-Glasses wanted them to know she was something much more.

Perhaps only Rieze stood to understand it completely, other than Shiroe. She'd seen Purrcy as high-level Hacker and understood just how high that probably was in how she'd protected Nyanta. She'd seen Purrcy as an older noble Adventurer who still had social weaknesses like they all did or they wouldn't be here, wouldn't have been playing _Elder Tales_ , so _knew_ Purrcy was just another person like the rest of them. She'd seen Purrcy as the victim of a horror so great all other Adventurers who heard of it immediately rose up in arms to prevent it from ever happening again and then went and tried harder than they did anything else to see it was repaired as best possible. And through all of that Purrcy had, just like them, stood up and fought beside them, not wallowing in that despair 'just' a victim.

Moving to a café table that had opened up, Rieze sat down and ordered a green chai tea. Watching the front steps of the Guild Hall without focusing on it, she continued to mull over what was next. She'd seen that Purrcy worked hard. The clothing line showed it, even though that was just a simple thing. Remembering the list of things the owner of Venture Enterprises had been said to have done also showed it. Purrcy wasn't someone who gave up and sat in the shadows. She was constantly moving forward. She had moved forward and claimed Nyanta even with the odds against her, a gaping hole of hell under her even as she reached her hand forward. He had taken that hand and was holding onto it tightly, from all Rieze could tell, and all of Log Horizon was holding onto him, keeping him from falling into that same hole. Rieze couldn't believe Purrcy would pull them all in. If she was going to do it, it would have happened during the battle with Minami. Minami would have won. The Plague Master would have won.

Rieze didn't know who they were facing next, but Purrcy had already told her that whatever it was, her own prize would be the result of it. Rieze didn't want to hope, but it was too late. She already knew that what Purrcy put her mind to, happened. Just the same as whatever Shiroe put his mind to, they couldn't turn him, or the end results, away from. Just thinking of the two of them working on fulfilling her dream made her give up. Maybe that's why she was sad. She was left out of the struggle. Those two had taken it on their shoulders. Rieze needed them to. She had no idea where to go or what to do. She could take all of D.D.D. and storm into China...if she had a way to get across the sea. Michitaka wouldn't say no if she asked him, but Shiroe had already asked for her.

No. Purrcy had. That had been one of _her_ requirements... _before_ Rieze had been given her promise. _How could Purrcy have known, before she even knew Rieze?_ That was what unsettled her. Every interaction had been like that. Like Purrcy knew her as well as her mother did, from before they ever met. Walking through the mirror had felt like that, too. Like she had given up and just accepted that Purrcy was more than she could fathom, yet was someone she would follow and be obedient to. Rieze slumped down onto her arms on the table top. It wasn't her way, to just give up, but she almost couldn't do anything else. She closed her eyes. She, whom so many relied on, was being forced to rely on others, all without her approval. She rolled her head and hid her face, resting her forehead on her arms.

She didn't know how long she sat there, but there was movement close by and the chair next to hers was pulled out. "Get lost," she said without moving. She didn't receive an answer and the person didn't move. Before she could sit up, or look, there was a creature, very small, on her knee and walking up her leg. She instinctively sucked in her belly and the little creature wiggled up between her and the table to shimmy up until there was tiny, rough licking of her fingers resting lightly on the table. A miniature purr started up as well and a soft touch was on her face, then off, then on again, then off again.

Rieze rolled her head and looked down at what it was. She wasn't surprised at all, really, and she tiredly lifted her forefinger from the tongue's reach and pet the nose above it. She sighed. "You would show up now. After I've already given up."

The head moved under the rubbing finger and the kitten moved to rub her head against Rieze's face, still purring. "We all need to be able to rely on others, Rieze. The real opportunity to doesn't come along often. Most of the time the world is harsh and there isn't anyone we can rely on but ourselves. At the same time, not asking for help isn't good either. Then it isn't anyone but our own fault, and that makes it all the blacker." A rough tongue licked her cheek. "Let me be your friend, too." The tongue kept licking.

Rieze trapped the kitten and moved out of tongue range. "That's a bit rough." She meant both. The kitten held still for her, an ear twitching to brush the edge of her hand. "You've put me in a tough position."

"No, not really," Purrcy said calmly. Rieze glared at her. "You just have to be obedient. Then it isn't your fault. You can still complain, and you can still warn if you think you need to. Everyone needs to hear when there are pitfalls ahead they can't see. We need you, and you need us." The head moved until the tongue could reach Rieze's thumb and it was attacking it again.

Rieze almost tightened her grip down on the kitten, then decided to pet her instead. Purrcy settled down, curling her front paws under her. Rieze sighed. "Why am I protecting you, and why are you a kitten?"

Purrcy giggled. "I'm in hiding?"

"And because mew know I'm sitting here watching mew," Nyanta said from the chair next to Rieze.

"And Tetorō's standing behind me, waiting to hit me over the head if I make a wrong move," Rieze said resignedly.

"Not really?" Tetorō answered, from behind her.

"Yeah, right," Rieze replied sarcastically. The silence answered her. She sighed and scratched Purrcy on the head, then went into a trance while petting her. Finally she cupped the kitten in both hands and sat up, holding Purrcy up close to her own face, but hiding her swirls from being seen.

Looking face to face, Rieze said. "Okay. You be my friend. Don't let the other guilds hate me for being your friend and knowing too much too soon. Soujirou's already on the line as it is. Isaac, Roderick, Michitaka, and Ains aren't in your pocket yet. Between the four of them, that's rather a lot of us, even if it isn't a majority. And it is half the fighting guilds. They didn't come in to see what you are so they don't fully understand yet. It's also the two most useful and largest of the production guilds. If you make all four of them mad, you'll lose before you begin."

"We've given Michitaka the Technicians and the path forward he was missing, not to mention cleaned off his desk enough to make him happy." Rieze pondered that, then nodded once. "Ask him about the blacksmiths that came over from Grandale. That will be his clue. He needs to talk to them, and watch them work, if he hasn't yet."

"Okay," Rieze said obediently.

"Roderick, it's the same. He needs to consider all the people who came over from Radio Market, and from Shopping District 8. Then confront Akaneya and Calasin until they cave and let him know what they know. He'll be surprised, but it will give him the answers he needs."

"Right," Rieze's answer was a little more firm this time.

"Soujirou will be fine. We talked to him and Nazuna yesterday."

Rieze's face went into a grimace. "You talked to Nazuna? If I'd have known I'd have skipped the fashion show. I only went because she begged."

"Thanks for coming."

Rieze sighed. "What about the other fighting guilds."

Purrcy looked over Rieze's shoulder at Tetorō. "Shiroe's going to handle them," he said softly. Rieze nodded.

"Grandale and Radio Market...and Shopping District 8 were all my friends, and willing gophers, before you were, Rieze, so you won't be alone." Purrcy blinked up at her sincerely. "Just sigh and admit it last. Your long face will be enough to protect you."

Rieze wrinkled her nose at Purrcy. "I hope so, but that's not the way I'd like it to be."

"No. You want to brandish your weapon and stand tall and strong. This time, it's your turn to look at the rest and let it be in their hands. We'll still use your strength, but from the position of the calm pool rather than the raging sea. You need to give your guildmaster back a guild that is firm, not one that is trembling. Please punish him by making him even more bored than ever. He needs to have the strength to go farther than he's ever gone before."

Rieze stared at Purrcy, then laughed, long and loud. "I don't have any idea how you know us all so well, for being a newcomer, but that is exactly what someone who knew him well would say to get him to move." Rieze sighed with a bit of her curled lips still present. "And I'd really like to punish him for being gone so long, too."

Purrcy nodded. "If you know how Princess Raynessia can do the same, let her in on it. As her friends we need to help her, too."

Rieze stared at Purrcy, then nodded slowly. "You're as bad as Shiroe, you know that?"

"Yes." The answer was said simply.

Rieze put her hands down to her lap and moved the hand between the kitten and Nyanta to pet Purrcy's head one more time. "I'll come get you later this evening," she promised.

"Okay. We'll be there." Rieze nodded and Purrcy leaped from her lap over to Nyanta's, then disappeared into his arm.

Rieze looked up at the felinoid. She stared at him for a moment, his face as calm as ever. "Thanks," she said. He bowed his head slightly and rose from his chair. She followed him with her eyes. "Don't let her go. That's a long way to fall."

His eyes looked deeply into hers. He blinked a slow cat blink then said, "I don't intend to. Ever."

Rieze looked over her shoulder. "You, too. Don't you guys let him go, either."

Tetorō nodded solemnly. "We won't. We need them both. ...They're ours."

Rieze nodded, tired again. "Get out," she said, looking back at her cold tea. They silently cleared out. She sighed a long sigh, drained her tea, then rose to her feet. She had a few guildmasters to call on before she was her own person again. At least, as much her own person as she was likely to be for a long time to come. She'd been purchased. She hoped her guild forgave her some day.


	10. Preparing for a Girl's Night Out

"Purrcy," Akatsuki stopped, painfully aware of her own shortcomings. She shifted uncomfortably. Purrcy lifted her head from her front paws to look at Akatsuki, ears pricked forward, for all the world looking just like a cat that had heard the lid open on their favorite cat food and was expecting to be called to dinner in the next second. Akatsuki slumped, then jumped back to attention in the next second. "Ah! It's that...," she took a deep breath and kept going, "will you...I'd like to show you - what I can do." She held her breath.

Purrcy was immediately on the floor and coming towards her. "Let's go, then," she said brightly.

Akatsuki let out the air she was holding and followed Purrcy up the tree to the next floor and to her room. Akatsuki made sure she was there first to let Purrcy in, giving a bit of a bow, though she wasn't quite sure why, except that it matched the strength she was trying to have. Purrcy sat upright and formal, her tail waving slightly behind her as Akatsuki closed her door and faced her friend. _Friend_. Her other friends of Water Maple had told her to think of it that way in order to get through this next part. Akatsuki held it firmly in the front of her mind as she stepped into her room and cleared her throat.

Her room was fairly clean and clear. It was the only room, other than Nyanta's, with a tatami floor. Her futón was cleanly rolled up and set aside behind the one foldable screen that hid what little clutter there was. She had pulled out her small clothing rack from behind the screen, though, in preparation for this moment. It had three outfits hanging on it. Akatsuki owned more, she just preferred to keep them in her ordered list, now that it could hold all her things. It had uncluttered her room significantly (though it hadn't been cluttered to begin with) to increase her list capacity by as much as Purrcy had taught them they could. These were the three things she'd finally settled on to pick from for the evening activity.

"I've selected these. Please help me choose a final selection," Akatsuki carefully asked for exactly what she wanted. At least, she thought it was what she wanted. "I want to represent the guild, Shiroe, and you properly."

"That's well and good. Have you properly accounted for what you want for yourself?" Purrcy was immediately straightforward with her own requirement.

Akatsuki appreciated Purrcy keeping the flow moving forward. "Yes, I have," she answered properly.

"Then let's see the first," Purrcy nodded and was suddenly felinoid, though she continued to kneel. She didn't put on the kimono, but Akatsuki understood it was on anyway. Or at least, it felt like it was. The nice but casual clothing was better for "friend" and Akatsuki tried to reach for it again as she also reached for the first outfit and put it on. She held still, trying to remember to breathe normally. Purrcy motioned with her hand and Akatsuki turned around slowly. "Mmm...nice. Fall-like, appropriate to the atmosphere of the festival." She nodded. "Next?"

Akatsuki traded out for the second outfit. She focused on breathing again, turning when asked again. "Looks uncomfortable, though you do look nice in it."

Akatsuki shook her head. "It's only strange in construction. It actually isn't bad to wear it."

"Hmm, okay. Next." The third outfit was on and inspected just the same. "I like that you've attempted for stepping outside your normal color aversion. Of course, you also know I love color, so I'd be drawn to something like this anyway," there was a sparkle in Purrcy's eye. Akatsuki acknowledged her observations with a nod. "Do you have a preferential leaning already?" Purrcy asked her.

Akatsuki paused, then answered honestly. "I'm looking for an excuse to wear the second, but it doesn't seem like this should really be that time...except it's a girl's night out."

Purrcy nodded. "Like a party. But it isn't. I think if we were at a party, say at Raynessia's, it would be more appropriate. It may be out of place in the larger setting, while at the same time so common with all the other out of place outfits worn in town, that it's effect on you as an individual will be lost. I suggest wearing it when it can have the proper impact."

Akatsuki felt relieved and put it away. Purrcy had given her the place to wear it, not just rejected it. That felt good. She'd worried no one would like it at all, even though she liked the effect herself. It was the only cos-play one that had caught her eye when they'd been dressing up Henrietta. She took a deep breath. So far it was going well. "I would like to wear the third one for you because it's your night out, but there won't be many fall activities to wear the first one at, so this may be the only opportunity to wear it."

Purrcy paused to consider the comments seriously. She studied the third one, still on Akatsuki. "Perhaps this one...could be worn later in the season when we're all wishing the world wasn't so grey with winter, or when you think we could use some cheering up. It's very...adult, too. If you wanted to make a statement to that effect, drawing others to see and acknowledge you, it would be good for that. Kind of like the power business suit, though it isn't that formal."

Akatsuki considered that, tipping her head. Suddenly her mirror was in front of her and she was looking at the outfit critically again, as she had before, but with that new information in mind. She turned her body to see the back again, what she could of it. Taking a breath, she switched it out for the first one. She did really like this one. It was also colors, but the muted fall ones - almost dark burgundy for the shirt. A deep fall-orange vest over it, even darker than pumpkins and more like the color of cooked pumpkin pie. The pants were a very dark green, almost a black color. The boots were a soft fawn leather and her short sword went perfectly with the outfit, too. She did want to wear it and this did seem the perfect time to. She looked back at Purrcy. "It will work okay?"

Purrcy smiled. "Yes. I think it's lovely and it suits you."

The mirror disappeared, then the third outfit and the clothing rack, until it was just Akatsuki, Purrcy, the folding screen, and the futón in the room. "You've been doing well at selecting clothing for yourself," Purrcy praised her.

Akatsuki flushed slightly, pleased. "Thank you. I've been trying to work hard."

"I can tell. Please continue to work hard. I think Shiroe will be very pleased with the results."

Akatsuki did flush now. Purrcy always seemed to know the underlying reason for things. She stood as if not aware of what her words had done to Akatsuki, but Akatsuki was pretty sure she was just being kind enough to let her recover. "Now, it's my turn, if you'd be willing to bear with me?"

Akatsuki raised her eyebrows, then nodded and knelt down. "Ah...do you want the mirror back?"

"...Maybe after we've narrowed it down. Let me select a few first, if you're willing to be patient?"

Akatsuki nodded. She could sit for hours on her knees patiently after all. Purrcy closed her eyes and looked at her internal inventory. After a few minutes, she finally opened her eyes and let out a breath. "Okay. Here's the first one."

Purrcy went through the first round fairly quickly. Akatsuki properly looked at each one of them. Some of them were wild enough to make her laugh. Purrcy always gave a wry look at those and put them away. Akatsuki thought she was wearing those on purpose just to make her laugh to begin with. It did help her finish relaxing, though. She wasn't sure what other cues Purrcy was looking for, but she could tell Purrcy was watching all of her reactions and accepting or rejecting the outfits based on them. She suddenly stopped, then walked back and forth a few times, her tail swishing as she cleaned up her inner closet space and considered what was left. Purrcy put her hand to her chin and tipped her head, then there were five outfits on the floor. "Sorry it's messy. I don't have a clothes rack."

"It's okay," Akatsuki answered. It wouldn't be for long. Purrcy wasn't slow, and she could be magnanimous - particularly for a friend.

The first outfit went from the floor to being on Purrcy. Akatsuki nodded, then carefully formulated her words. "I like it. It's pleasant without being too formal."

"May we have the mirror now?" Purrcy asked. Akatsuki put the mirror where Purrcy could see easily into it, then waited patiently for Purrcy to look at it. Then the first outfit was on the floor and the second outfit was on Purrcy. Purrcy kindly let Akatsuki inspect it first.

Akatsuki tipped her head and motioned for Purrcy to turn around. She considered it, then what she felt should be said about it. "It wouldn't be my first pick."

Purrcy glanced at it quickly in the mirror, then wrinkled her nose at it. "No. You're right." It was gone and replaced with the third. There was a knock at the door.

Akatsuki got up and went to open it. "Are you getting ready?" Minori asked. Isuzu was behind her.

"Yes," Akatsuki opened the door wider and stepped back to let them in. "You both look nice."

"Thanks!" Isuzu said as Minori gave her a wide smile.

"You look nice, too," Minori said kindly.

"Thank you," Akatsuki firmly tried hard to not blush. "We're trying the final selections on Purrcy now."

"Oh, good," Isuzu said and promptly took a wide stance pose and looked critically at what Purrcy was wearing. Akatsuki closed her door and returned to her position. Minori knelt next to her. They both looked at it, too, then motioned they were ready for her to turn and she turned around for them.

"Nice, but what else do you have?" Isuzu asked.

Purrcy looked at Akatsuki first. "It's nice," she said, "but...it doesn't suit the why."

Purrcy paused, then asked, "The 'I'm going to get married' why?" Akatsuki nodded.

Purrcy looked at it in the mirror, and tipped her head. "Maybe." It went on the floor again, though the second one had been put away instead. The fourth one was on her.

"Oh, my," Minori said a bit breathlessly. "When did you get that one?"

Purrcy did a little twirl. "I had a dress like this when I was growing up and loved it. I've made several with different patterns for the different seasons. I was actually born in the fall and it's my favorite season. That makes this particular dress one of my favorites to wear, especially for fun activities that a dress works for." The skirt flared out at the twirl. It was a simple princess line in the bodice that almost didn't work on her flat front and had long sleeves, as appropriate for the cooler fall weather. Purrcy had managed to make the top just decorative enough, though, to make up for the lack of a human female figure, including some multi-colored layered fall leaves along the front from one shoulder and down to the opposing high waist point, though the dress itself was waistless, just flaring from the natural waist. "The one it was based on was bright yellow with white flowers, and my summer one reflects that combination."

"I'll bet that's pretty, too," Minori said. The one on Purrcy was a honey gold color, like the color of the corn-stalks about town, and the colorful leaves stood out on it. That same color matched her own golden swirls, though they were mostly hidden by the dress itself.

"Well, let's see the last one," Isuzu said practically, though Akatsuki suspected she just wanted to see more clothes on Purrcy.

The last one went on and Minori almost rejected it immediately. Isuzu inspected it seriously though, and Akatsuki did as well. Properly she said, "This is what Shiroe would approve of. It's properly formal, but also casual, and properly states your place and purpose."

Minori sighed at the same time Purrcy did. "Yes, that's why I picked it as an option," Purrcy said. "However that means I feel like it's the prison uniform. I'd rather wear it tomorrow when I have to be proper in front of everyone. I'd like for tonight to be fun."

Akatsuki tipped her head, seeing in her mind the previous one. "Show them the first one again." Purrcy nodded and traded out again.

Minori finally sighed. "Well, if I hadn't seen the dress yet, to be jaded, I'd choose this one."

Isuzu looked at the outfit, then at Purrcy's face. "I think either would be fine, and the last one could be worn tomorrow, probably, but...I think the look on your face in the dress is what everyone is looking forward to tonight."

Purrcy looked a little surprised. Akatsuki considered that comment, then nodded. "I think so, too. Everyone is hoping you'll be able to relax and have fun. To see your smile is something they are looking forward to. They haven't seen that look yet."

Purrcy froze. Her ears went down a little. "No...I suppose they haven't, have they?" Her lips pursed, then she nodded firmly and the dress was back on. Then the rest of the outfits were put away. "It will be a new thing, to show everyone this part of me in public...but perhaps it will be okay." She paused. "I'll pass it by the men first. If Shiroe and Nyanta approve, then it will be okay."

"It matters that much what they think?" Isuzu asked in surprise.

Purrcy nodded soberly and so did Minori and Akatsuki. "This week...and into next...I am representing something much larger than myself," Purrcy said, "even if it is a relaxing evening meant for me and for all of us to have fun. It would be better to wear the first one if this one will send the wrong message, and hold this one until next year or wear it around the house." Isuzu nodded understanding and agreement. Purrcy opened a guild chat. "We're ready for the final judging, for anyone who wants to gather in the common room." She said it mildly. There was a pause, then they could hear feet hurrying down the stairs.

Minori rolled her eyes. "Even Touya," she said in exasperation.

"Well...we did do a fabulous job with Akatsuki last time," Purrcy smiled, "and that was with what we could get by with. This time she's excellently put together. I'm sure they all want to see how she did this time with her own effort."

Akatsuki blushed. "You're teasing me," she accused Purrcy.

Purrcy turned an ear. "Perhaps."

Akatsuki stuck her tongue out at Purrcy. Purrcy laughed and Akatsuki smiled. "If we're ready, I think they might be," Purrcy said.

Akatsuki and Minori stood up. "You look nice tonight, too," Akatsuki said to Minori.

"Thanks," Minori said with a little blush. "Serera, Isuzu, and I went out a few times while you were all in Minami and I found this and really liked it."

They went out the door and it was only five steps to where they paused and took deep breaths to prepare themselves to be subjected to the eyes of men, whose taste in clothing was diverse and very judgmental, particularly in the case of Shiroe, which made it particularly hard on Akatsuki. They looked at each other, giving encouragement to each other with just those looks, then Purrcy urged Minori and Isuzu on first. "They won't even look otherwise," Isuzu whispered in agreement, rolling her eyes.

Purrcy nodded sadly. "Sorry," she mouthed. Isuzu waved it off. She looked at Minori, and they took breaths and stepped out together to the top landing of the first flight of stairs. They paused there, then slowly made their way down.

"Well done," Tetorō's voice came to them. "Nice color selections." There were other sounds of agreement.

There was a pause, then finally, "You both look nice," from Shiroe. Akatsuki and Purrcy both relaxed. The younger girls had passed muster. He probably didn't think his words carried quite that much weight, but really, they did. Both because he was guildmaster, and because he was the Master Strategist.

"Should we go separately?" Purrcy asked, uncertain.

Akatsuki considered it. "I think...I would like you with me...but since you aren't sure if that one will work, maybe we should?"

Purrcy considered that. "Okay." She put her hand on Akatsuki's shoulder. "You can do it. Just look for Shiroe's smile, or blush - that works too - and answer anything Naotsugu says with a polite, 'thank you'. You remember, right?"

Akatsuki paused, then nodded. "I'll remember tonight it's a compliment."

"Good," Purrcy patted her on the shoulder. "You look lovely. Go for it."

Akatsuki received her smile, nodded firmly, squared her shoulders, and stepped out to the landing. It was unnerving to realize it was _every_ male of the guild looking at her suddenly. She would have though _some_ of the Eagles were out of the house, but apparently not for some reason. She had a sudden thought and turned back to Purrcy. "Remember the other part of your outfit," she whispered.

Purrcy looked questioningly at her. Akatsuki put a smile on her face and pointed to it. Purrcy smiled softly. "Yes, mother."

Akatsuki froze, her eyes wide, then she laughed. "That's you, not me." Purrcy shook her head slightly. Akatsuki turned to continue down the stairs and only made it two before she looked up and froze again. The expressions in the room were mostly of shock. They'd looked kind of like that the last time, too. Her eyes went to Shiroe and he smiled at her gently, then moved to meet her. She continued on down the stairs and handed him her hand when he held out his. He'd remembered from last time, too. She smiled up at him, glad he had.

"It's lovely," he said to her, "but the laugh and the smile make it beautiful."

Akatsuki tipped her head at him, considering her answer. "Thank you. That's what we were telling Purrcy also."

Shiroe's eyebrow raised. "Oh? Has that been a missing accessory, then?"

Akatsuki blushed just a little. "Only in front of the Water Maple friends."

"Hmm," Shiroe didn't comment more than that and he led her into the room to stand with him behind the couch, but not in the way of Naotsugu and Tetorō being able to see the stairs.

"It suits you, Akatsuki," Tetorō said kindly.

"Thank you," she answered appropriately. Naotsugu gave her a thumbs-up, probably afraid to say more after last time, and she bowed her head in thanks. That seemed to be sufficient communication.

They all turned to look back at the stairs again. Nyanta had moved closer to the stairs and was looking up in anticipation as well. Akatsuki took a deep breath with Purrcy, though they were on opposite ends of the stairs now and hoped for her that this outfit would pass. Purrcy stepped onto the landing and held it so they could see the effect of the dress. Akatsuki looked at her as if seeing it for the first time again. It was pleasing, but she couldn't tell if it was sufficient or not. She smiled encouragingly at Purrcy anyway, particularly since her look was rather pasted on and not yet a smile.

Purrcy looked at her, then gave a sort of bow. Looking back up she smiled at Isuzu and Minori, then at Akatsuki, then lightly ran down the stairs. The skirt of her dress lifted and floated with her as the air caught it, like it had when she had twirled in the room before. It wasn't immodest. Rather it gave the impression Purrcy was floating and dancing on the air down to them. By the time she reached the bottom step, her eyes were sparkling and the joy of wearing that dress was in her face. Akatsuki nodded. That was what they needed to see.

Nyanta was frozen in place and Purrcy's eyes finally moved to look into his face. There was a brief flash of surprise, then another kind of smile and Nyanta wasn't frozen any more. Instead he was taking her hand and pulling her to him to kiss her. "I think...I'd rather keep mew home," he whispered to her.

"You can't," Akatsuki said flatly. "She's already called for this evening."

Nyanta twitched an ear, so Akatsuki knew he'd heard her. "I do appreciate your compliment, though," Purrcy said with a smile. She tugged a little on Nyanta and he turned and they walked over to Shiroe and Akatsuki.

Akatsuki looked up at Shiroe. It looked good. She looked around the rest of the room. They were all sitting quietly, but the faces said it looked good, too.

Tetorō sighed glumly. "I wish I could come, too."

Akatsuki looked at him in surprise. "You are, aren't you? You're still on her side."

Tetorō looked back at her in surprise. "Well, I was."

"No," Akatsuki shook her head, "you _are_. We're still expecting you. Aren't you dressed yet?"

The look of happy surprise on Tetorō's face really finished out making the evening. It didn't take him long to be dressed, either, in an outfit made just for him and the evening, as usual. The idol hadn't left the building after all. When he stood and turned for them, the four women all nodded approval and he relaxed into a jaunty smile. "Well, I guess we're ready, then," he said, folding his arms.

Akatsuki looked back up at Shiroe. "She was worried you'd rather she was serious tonight. She's trying her best."

Shiroe looked at her surprised, then back at Purrcy. Letting go of Akatsuki he walked over to Purrcy and put his arms around her. "Have fun, Hahaue. You look lovely." He pulled back and grinned at her. "Just don't get drunk."

Purrcy glared at him then relented and laughed. "I suppose you wouldn't know...I don't drink alcohol."

"None?" Nyanta asked in surprise, one ear turning back completely in disbelief.

Purrcy shook her head. "Nope. None. I like to have my fun and enjoy it to the fullest. Why should I let alcohol, or being drunk, ruin it for me? I don't need an artificial high when I can have the best time being just me."

Everyone in the room was stunned. Isuzu tipped her head. "I like it," she said.

Minori nodded. "Most refreshing thing I've ever heard," she agreed.

Touya folded his arms and grinned. " _That_ sounds like Purrcy for sure."

"Ah...what about social drinking, though?" Rudy asked. "Even the lords and ladies will do that at the gatherings."

Purrcy shook her head again. "Water for me, please. It's even more important then that I not have my senses dulled. I'd hate to agree to something I shouldn't have because I missed something important."

Shiroe nodded at that, though he seemed still a little stunned. He was blinking. "Did you smoke there?" he finally asked.

"Nope," she answered. "Same reason. I'd rather not give up control of myself to something else that can drag me around by the nose." She looked at him a bit confrontational. "You do understand why I despised Indicus, don't you? She was the complete embodiment of that, enforcing complete control over others, and over me. I couldn't allow it."

"Is that a problem here?" Shiroe asked quietly. Even Nyanta looked concerned.

Purrcy shook her head. "No. I've given myself here and you've promised to follow wisdom already. There was no give and take, no proper respect with her. I said it then. The contract is acceptable."

Shiroe relaxed slightly and nodded. Michael walked over and patted Shiroe on the shoulder. "She's already told the same to me, about her and this place. You're okay. She won't tear you apart." He grinned at Shiroe, who was looking blandly at him since the words weren't very comforting, even if he was trying. "Well...," Michael looked back at Purrcy, "except when she looks that good and makes every man in the room jealous." Both Shiroe and Nyanta hit Michael sending him flying.

Naotsugu watched him go overhead, a smile on his face. "It's nice to know that wasn't me this time."

Akatsuki looked at Shiroe in surprise. He'd never hit anyone before. He blinked as if coming back to himself. He finally rubbed the back of his head. "Ah...sorry," he said. Nyanta just folded his arms.

Michael grinned, having finished picking himself up off the floor. "It's good to know where we stand, though it was just a compliment."

"Thank you," Purrcy said calmly, "and I'll take the defense as a compliment as well, thank you." She rubbed both Nyanta and Shiroe on the head. "You can all calm down, though, or I'll scold you the same as I did Akatsuki and Naotsugu the first time." The three looked wide eyed, then drooped in submission. "That's better," she said. "Choose your words better, next time, Michael."

"Yes, ma'am," he answered humbly. There were a few quiet snickers from the squadron that disappeared when Michael looked over at them.

"I wonder when they'll get their scolding?" Akatsuki wondered to the air.

"Hmm," Tetorō put his finger to the side of his head and tilted it in his habitual idol pose, "I wonder." Purrcy turned towards the door, but Tetorō bounded ahead of her. "My turn!" he called out and reached for the handle and pulled the door open with a flourish. Rieze was standing there with her hand raised and she put it down, though it looked like she held back a punch half-way down and Tetorō instinctively moved back out of reach. "Welcome, Rieze, Nazuna, come on in. We're ready and just waiting for you."

The two moved into the room, just a little cautiously. " _Every_ one?" Rieze asked, scanning the room.

"Oh, they were just letting us review the outfits," Naotsugu said, waving a hand. "You'll have to give up on the hope of seeing how much liquor she can hold, though." They glared at him for giving away the secret. He shook his head. "She just informed us she doesn't drink."

They looked at her, disappointed. "Not even a little to celebrate?"

"What's a celebration if all you remember is throwing up and having a headache?" she asked back. "I like to enjoy life, not waste it."

They stared at her, then slumped. "We really can't win, can we."

"Not with that kind of try," she answered. "Try harder next time."

Tetorō sighed and looked at Akatsuki. "I hope they had a back-up plan."

Akatsuki looked up at him. "I did."

He looked at her in amazement. "You did?" Akatsuki nodded soberly. "Well, I can't wait to see it, then," he answered.

"What's Short-Stuff find fun that anyone else --" She didn't let Naotsugu finish.

"May I roundhouse the rude pervert in the face, Shiroe?" she asked as the thud from Naotsugu resounded through the room. Shiroe sighed.

"Well, you finally joined me tonight," Michael helped peel Naotsugu off the wall. "Just didn't feel right without it, did it?"

Naotsugu growled at both him and her. "Not likely."

"Ah, Shiroe," Rieze moved closer to talk to him, deciding to ignore the play of the guild at this point.

"Yes?" Shiroe went a little on alert.

"I talked with Roderick and Michitaka like Purrcy asked me to. They seem to have settled somewhat, though now they're bursting with questions, of course, like before at the demo, or maybe it's a desire to dissect her, I'm not sure. I ran into Isaac this evening also. Apparently something came up in the afternoon to get him to at least figure it out. He seems rather resigned, but it seems Ains is still working on coming down. Kazuhiko was relieved to hear Purrcy was alive and well, but Nakalnad's confused. Isaac says that Duke Sergiad knows something they don't and is rather smug about it, but I don't know what that is." She shrugged. "So, anyway, everyone's moved a little closer. Hope it's enough for tomorrow."

"Thank you," Shiroe had relaxed that it was just a report. "It should be enough for at least tomorrow. They'll all have to wait longer to get the whole story, of course."

"Of course," Rieze just barely managed to not roll her eyes. "That was Isaac's complaint. He said even for all you let her out openly this morning, you'd be just as close mouthed tomorrow as ever."

Shiroe adjusted his glasses. "Pretty much."

Rieze sighed. "You're not ready for Minami to know anything yet, then."

"Nope," he said firmly.

She nodded. "Good. When they understand that, I think they'll settle well enough."

"I expect," he said calmly.

She sighed. "Of course you do." She turned to Purrcy, "Well, let's get going. We'll go pick up Marie and Henrietta and break the news to them, then hear what Akatsuki has to suggest."

Akatsuki looked up at Shiroe and he gave her a quick kiss to take with her. Nyanta took one from Purrcy as well, though Tetorō moved to take Purrcy's arm fairly quickly to keep it short. Akatsuki took her other side as they followed Nazuna and Rieze to the door. The two younger girls followed after, and just like that Purrcy was encircled again as they walked out of the Log Horizon guild hall.

-:-:-:-:-

The door clicked closed and all the men turned and looked at Nyanta. "Well, she might not, but _you_ drink, right Chief?" Naotsugu said hopefully.

Nyanta looked back. "What Japanese male doesn't?"

Shiroe raised his hand and they all stared at him in some disbelief. He shrugged uncomfortably. "I've never been able to tolerate it."

"Not even one glass?" Naotsugu asked in surprise. "You've drunk with me a few times."

Shiroe shook his head. "You never noticed since you downed them, but even after one I'm barely capable of walking. It's been nice to not have to here. ...I think I like Hahaue's point of view on it, actually."

Nyanta pushed him a little. "Or is that an excuse?"

Shiroe shrugged. "Maybe, but all the same, I'll enjoy a juice while the rest of you enjoy the alcohol, since you can. ...Though I don't think this room's the place for them to walk in on us."

Everyone shuddered at that. "We were thinking the roof," Michael said, pointing up. Eagles gathered up folding dining chairs and they all trooped up to the roof for the 'sedate' bachelor party that _wouldn't_ get Naotsugu into trouble with Nyanta, though it might get them into trouble with some female guild members. Shouryuu joined them about ten minutes later and Soujirou another ten after that, having also been invited since they were both in the wedding party as well.

-:-:-:-:-

"Sooo," Rieze looked over her shoulder at Akatsuki. They had picked up Marielle and Henrietta and were headed for Water Maple Manor. "Now that we've had to scrap the drinking party, where do _you_ suggest we go?" Marielle and Henrietta slumped in defeat, but didn't look surprised.

Akatsuki perked up, lifting her head to look up at Rieze. "Purrcy is an anime and manga otaku." Everyone instantly had an idea where she was going with it. "I thought, since she hasn't seen it yet, we should take her to the puppet play."

Marielle and Henrietta looked at each other with smiles. "Serera-chan is there to help with tonight's show," Marielle said. "She's been supporting someone from Minami who is trying to start up there. I think we'd catch their show tonight."

Purrcy perked up, herself. "That would be good. Are the puppet plays related to manga and anime?"

Akatsuki nodded, looking at her earnestly. "They put on episodes. Their first ones were Pokemon episodes."

Purrcy laughed. "Oh, that'd be fun! I think I have the first three seasons memorized, though I ran out of time to keep watching after that. Are we allowed to yell out the Team Rocket theme?"

The others chuckled. "Of course," Nazuna said.

"Serera-chan's favorite is the Sailor Moon episode," Marielle explained. "She's always wanted to play Sailor Mercury but I don't think that's what they've been working on. It seems a bit more serious than that."

"I think that would be a fun thing to do this evening," Purrcy said, excitement in her step and eyes. "Would that be okay with everyone?" There was general agreement, though it might have been just as much because for the first time they were seeing a Purrcy who looked young and happy, instead of ancient and fully restrained. Some looks said they were going to watch her more than the show, just so they might have ammunition for the future. "Oh, but," her look fell slightly, "won't Princess Raynessia be a bit lost?"

They waved hands at her. "She's watched with us. It confuses her, but she's good about it."

Akatsuki took Purrcy's hand in hers. "She watches the watchers," she said encouragingly. "There will be enough other people present it should be okay." She wasn't really sure, since she knew Purrcy did like to keep everyone properly hosted.

"Besides," Henrietta said from the other side, "tonight we're doing what _you_ like."

"Oh," Purrcy said faintly, "Okay, then perhaps she'll be able to forgive me for boring her." Rieze gave Purrcy a scowl and she lifted a hand in apology until Rieze relented.

When they picked Raynessia up, her sister Liseltia came along as well, having been invited in the hope that it might help Raynessia not feel so much alone and because Liseltia had looked so hopeful. Along the way to the stage, they passed food vendors as well as many other Adventurers weaving their way along the shops and coming to and from restaurants and other small activities as they ended or were beginning. Many smells filled the air and they spent time shopping for foods they could eat as they walked.

Akatsuki disappeared for a little while then returned. Since she could go up and run the air waves and roof-tops, she could get out of the press of people and move quickly. "It starts in thirty minutes, the next one," she said when she arrived in front of her friends.

"Then let's pick up a few snacks on the way in," Marielle said happily.

"We've just eaten, Marie!" Henrietta scolded.

"Mmm," Purrcy looked at Akatsuki hopefully, "there wouldn't happen to be a place that sells caramel apples, would there? That was always my favorite fall treat."

Marielle immediately brightened up and grabbed Purrcy's arm. "It's this way!" She pulled the entire group of females down two and a half blocks to a candy apple vendor, who was ecstatic to have a bevy of females show up and sell his wares for him, as well as buy them, though it was a bit chaotic for ten minutes.

"Is there anything else you'd like?" Marielle asked Purrcy, her hands already full of treats.

"Just how big _were_ you at home?" Rieze teased Marielle.

Marielle sniffed. "Not _that_ big. I restrained myself at home. I just don't have to here," her look changed from defensive to evil grin, "and I love it."

Purrcy shook her head. "If you let loose the restraint here, Marie, you'll not have it when you get back home. I hope you'll consider it...after the festival," she smiled.

Marielle sighed. "Yes, Hahaue." It didn't keep her down any more than that. "So...what else?"

"Well...," Purrcy looked around, sniffing, "the other thing that says fall to me is hot spiced cider in the cool evenings, or iced apple cider during the warm sun of the day." She looked back at Marielle a little apologetically. "I'm afraid, for me, fall was apples, not pumpkins, though I do like a good pumpkin pie a little better than apple pie."

Marielle nodded firmly. "Okay, that's too far out of the way. We'll head for the stage. Akatsuki, you go pick up the cider." She listed off the location and Akatsuki disappeared.

"How can you have all the food vendor's locations memorized and not even remember where you put down the clipboard, Marie?" Henrietta sighed.

"Because food is life!" Marielle said cheerfully.

The other ladies followed after her, each holding their candied apples teetering on their wooden sticks, struggling through the crowded streets, but staying together. Purrcy linked her free arm in Raynessia's free arm and Liseltia held onto Raynessia's other sleeve so that the three of them at least stayed together. The others did their best to keep them encircled to some degree until they were finally at one of the smaller stages set in a small garden location of the city. The press of people was a little less here since they were trying to get there early. Seats were already taken but the stage was quiet.

Rieze unabashedly walked them up to nearly front-row seats and commandeered them for their group, taking up a square of space in the center front. "...seeing as we have the Princesses with us," she calmly explained, her expression saying she was most certainly including Purrcy in that blanket title.

The audience was beginning to fill up when Akatsuki finally arrived and they let her slip in next to Purrcy. She handed out drinks of warm apple cider that smelled of spices as close as they could get in Theldesia to cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Most of the candied apples were eaten by the time she got back, Purrcy's most notably, and she took the warm cup, wrapping both hands around it. With a pleasurable sniff of the spices, she held the steaming cup up close to her face, then carefully blew on it and took a sip. "Oh! It's very nice. I'd like to get the recipe. Maybe I'll save the last sip for Nyanta and he can help me come up with the spices that go in it."

"You'll remember?" Marielle asked, "I'll remember about the time I'm throwing the cup away."

They laughed. "I'll try," Purrcy said with a smile. "It is very good." She took another sip and the others tried theirs as well, continuing to chat happily until a young Adventurer came out on stage.

He bowed to the audience, accepting the polite applause. "Welcome, and thank you for coming this evening to see the opening, debut play of the Minami Acting Troupe. We hope you will enjoy our offering tonight." He grinned, "Please be kind, as we show you our favorite case of everyone's favorite diminutive detective, Conan."

There was stunned silence, then the crowd went wild and people were calling up friends to come and watch, too. "Oooh," Nazuna said wiggling and settling in. "Even the Princesses should like this one. It's a murder mystery."

"Do you like _Conan_ , Purrcy?" Minori asked from behind her.

Purrcy turned around with a smile. "I know of it, of course. No one who likes anime can not know of it, it's so popular, but I never did watch any, really, so for me it's new. I'll get to be one of the few who has to guess at the answer instead of already know it, so I get the best reward, I think." She winked at Minori.

Isuzu laughed. "Yes, the suspense is always best the first time around."

They settled in and got quiet as the other actors took to the stage, though they had a hard time not crying out and then laughing when the poor murdered heiress was none other than Serera herself.


	11. Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

"Well, you are handy to have around, aren't you?" Shouryuu said in appreciation as the actors of the Minami Acting Troupe bowed for their third encore, flush with the excitement of the popularity of their play. Even Serera's face was very happy for the response the little troupe was getting as she bowed at the tail end of the line, and the stage was filling up with gold coins being thrown at them. "That was well done."

"You're a _Conan_ fan also, then?" Naotsugu asked him.

Shouryuu nodded. "I hope the local group's going to do one soon, too."

"I hear it's supposed to be tomorrow during prime time, but that's rumor," Soujirou said, a pleased expression his face, too. "Really, this is like television, Shiroe."

"I'd say we hit the luck of the draw. Who knew following over the shoulders of the ladies would turn out so interesting for us, too?" Michael said.

"Well...considering we've seen without pay, perhaps we should take up a collection to drop off for them tomorrow," Shiroe replied, his conscience pricked a bit more than it had been before, when he'd agreed to spy on the girls as the entertainment for the boys, though he had also thoroughly enjoyed the show.

Michael's cowboy hat appeared in his hand and it was passed around the group until it was nearly full of gold coins. Shiroe took it, then had a thought, remembering what Purrcy had done with the clothing one of the first times he'd tried opening a visual chat. The one he had used on Purrcy the day before and was using now, was a one-way video and audio chat, where the girls couldn't see or hear the boys, but the boys could see and hear the girls and what was going on around them. He could tell Charlie, the Communication mage of the Eagles was watching what he was doing closely again, learning for himself.

Shiroe held the hat in his hand, then "put" the gold coins that were in it on the stage, scattering them somewhat so it didn't just look like a big pile. He was already sure Purrcy knew they were watching over Minori's shoulder, but he didn't want to make it obvious. She hadn't complained yet and he didn't want to give her cause to. Paying their fair share might mollify her somewhat as well. He handed the empty hat back to Michael, who put it on then put his feet back up on the rock in front of him.

The small grill was lit and was keeping them warm on this now cool evening. They had eaten barbecue cooked by one of the Eagles so that Nyanta didn't have to host his own party while they were watching and waiting with the girls for the show to start. The alcohol had come out early and they'd topped off just before the show started. They were topping off again now and talking about the show...and some of the other female Adventurers they'd seen in the audience. Male talk. Shiroe sighed and looked at Akatsuki again. She was looking happy. He was glad her suggestion had been one to be proud of. She had worked hard for Purrcy's sake and everyone had enjoyed the results - even on this end.

Purrcy had turned to look at Akatsuki and now she said, "Do you think we could get special privileges and be allowed back-stage to meet the troupe and congratulate them and Serera-chan? I'd love to talk to the stage manager of Akiba, too. Do they take suggestions?"

Shiroe sat up a little, but Nyanta did even more, his ears pricked forward. "Oh, ho? Are we going to get our own little show now?" Soujirou's eyes were lit with interest. "I would like to be able to see the infamous Purrcy in action."

Shouryuu shook his head. "Better there than here," he muttered, studiously _not_ looking at Shiroe. "You're _sure_ she can't hear us, Shiroe-san?" he asked.

Shiroe nodded his head, deciding not to tell him she didn't need to, to know they were there. Michael also kept his mouth shut, to Shiroe's relief. Of course, Michael did seem to enjoy teasing her as much as Nyanta did. Tetorō probably knew they were watching as well, but he couldn't say anything or he'd get into trouble there, too. "They can't hear us, but perhaps we've seen enough? That was rather fun already. Should we just relax now?"

"Cold feet already?" Naotsugu looked at him with a teasing look.

Shiroe paused, "The better part of self-preservation, I think," he said in disagreement. The girls were in discussion and it looked like they were going to wait until the crowd thinned just a little, though Henrietta had disappeared. He made the executive decision and ended the one-way chat, closing down the window.

Soujirou looked rather disappointed. "You're better off without it," Shouryuu reassured him, "or waiting for it to come to you."

"Besides," Shiroe added, "you've already seen it, when you were here before."

Soujirou rubbed his chin. "Well...but that was different. She bested Nazuna at Water Maple and I wanted to understand how. No one, not even me, has been able to do that."

Shiroe looked at Naotsugu for help, but he shrugged. There was suddenly a glow from behind Michael and they turned to look at the crowd of Eagles, who had been in conference. One of Charlie's video cubes was hanging in the air and was showing the girls again. "Oh, make it bigger!" Soujirou commanded. "I want to see from here, too."

Shiroe groaned. "I hope you know how to prevent her from seeing your spell," he warned. "You really don't want to make her angry."

He got back reassurances, and the video connection stayed up, getting large enough for the officers to see as well. Charlie moved it closer, too, so they could all see and hear. Shiroe shook his head and looked at Nyanta sadly. Nyanta stayed calm, not letting his emotions show, but an ear flicked once. Shiroe sighed, refilled his juice and sat back, wondering if it would be safer to escape to his office instead.

-:-:-:-:-

"Yes, Henrietta?" Marielle took the personal chat. "Okay, we'll come around." She stood up. "We've been given permission to meet the cast and stage manager," she smiled at the rest of the group, though when her eyes skimmed past Purrcy she had a sudden cold shudder run down her spine. Her eyes widened and she looked back at Purrcy, but whatever she'd caught before was gone when the felinoid looked up at her. It was just her happy smile. Marielle breathed a careful breath in and out and hoped it had just been a passing thought completely unrelated to the evening's activities.

When they arrived back stage, the actors and actresses were changed and were removing the makeup they'd worn. "Serera-chan!" Marielle gushed, grabbing her guild-daughter in a smothering hug of pride. "I'm so glad you were able to help out. Please introduce us."

"Let her go, if that's what you want, then," Henrietta scolded her.

For her part, Serera just held still, resigned, until she was finally let go. "Thank you, Marielle-san," she said when she could breathe again. "It was an easy part to play since I couldn't practice with them, but wanted to help. They were kind to let me." She turned to the others from Minami and introduced them to the group of ladies.

The one who had come out on stage first, and had played Conan bowed to them. "Thank you for coming to the play. I hope you found it acceptable." Serera introduced him as Qwased.

"It was very good," Nazuna said with a smile, "even for a debut performance." The others nodded.

Another man came around the back of the stage and walked over to Marielle and Henrietta. "Purrcy, this is the Akiba stage manager, Leonidius. Thank you for coming, Leonidius. We're taking Purrcy out for her bachelorette party. It's her first play, and Princess Raynessia's sister's too." Henrietta introduced the three princess.

Purrcy shook hands with Leonidius. "I would like to see some of your other productions another time. I'm afraid I'll have to miss all the rest that will be put on during the festival, but the ladies sprung me for the evening." She turned to Qwased and his troupe. "You all did very well. I enjoyed myself, though I've not seen any _Conan_ before, to speak of. I could tell you were enjoying yourselves, and that made it even better." She turned to Serera with a smile. "I'm glad to see you also enjoying yourself. I would love to see you as Sailor Mercury some time, if it's possible." Serera blushed, since it had been said in the stage manager's hearing. Purrcy turned back to Leonidius. "Do you take suggestions?"

"Yes," he said kindly, "we do, though it helps to be given scripts, of course. It also helps to have enough people who know the specific storyline, though it isn't as necessary."

"Do you perform any dramas, or shojo? I have several that I'd love to see," Purrcy's eyes were lit up with interest. "The rescue scene of Shirayukihime from Umihebi in _Snow White with the Red Hair_ is one of my favorite scenes and the sleeping princess kiss after they are safe is sooo romantic." She clasped her hands in front of her heart and wiggled. The others looked at her in astonishment. This was not a Purrcy they had ever seen before. "And _Rainbow Days_ \- I'd love to see one of those. _Uninhabited Planet Survive_ would pull the heartstrings of everyone here, but still be tender." Her hands went to her cheeks. " _Horimiya_ would be a wonderful romantic comedy to fit in during longer scene changes or intermissions since the later chapters are short hilarious vignettes. Of course anyone would love even a made up _Assassination Classroom_ \- it wouldn't even have to be a real episode. The hilarity would be sufficient."

The actors and Leonidius were all grinning. "That one's a great idea," Qwased agreed, nodding. "We could mix up the seriousness of _Conan_ with _Assassination Classroom_ when we wanted comedy."

"I know, right!?" Purrcy said gleefully. "If you do, I'll have to come visit sometime just to see it. Let Serera-chan know so she can tell me. And surely there are plenty here who like _Fairy Tale,_ which should be recreatable with all our magics even. And _One Piece_ , too, would be something the fighters would enjoy. I can think of several more, but some of them might not work in the play format." She rubbed the top of her head, then sighed. "I'd love to see _Yona of the Dawn_ and the four dragons - who are all so dreamy it's hard to pick one out - even Hak is to drool over." Purrcy's eyes were very far away, remembering.

She shook herself, then looked pleadingly at everyone. "Can we try? Just a little? I'll be director and storyteller if you'll act the parts. _Please?_ "

They blinked at her. "You actually _asked_?" Nazuna asked in surprise.

"I shouldn't?" Purrcy blinked, confused.

"No, no. You _should_ ," Henrietta held up a hand and clarified.

"Oh, that's wonderful! Thank you so much!" They couldn't decide if she'd misunderstood on purpose or not. "Let's do _Kaichou wa Maid-sama_! We have the perfect cast for it. Henrietta, you're the main character, Misaki." Purrcy grabbed her by the shoulders and put her in the center of the group. "You're perfect for it. So she's the school president of what used to be an all-boy's high school and she's trying to straighten the boys out so more girls will come. She's strong, forceful, strict and doesn't let the boys get away with anything. She's sweet to the girls, loved by the teachers, top in her class, and hates men and boys in general because her father ran out on the family - her, her mother, and her sister - when she was in junior high. She only goes to the school because the father left them poor and in debit and it's got low rates for girls, to get them to attend."

Henrietta had been unsure, but now she nodded. She could get that kind of character. She straightened up but still didn't commit. "Are you sure?" she appealed to the others for help.

"I think it sounds like fun," Marielle said. "Just a few scenes."

"Besides," Rieze said, looking at Purrcy with a certain glint in her eye, "I think we've just found her fetish, neh?" There were snorts of laughter. Purrcy froze and looked at Rieze with dismay. Rieze looked away. "Well...we won't have this opportunity often...and it is your night."

Purrcy blushed, then said, "If it's okay?" The others smiled and nodded. "Ah, Henrietta, I'll play the lead for a bit if you want, but I think you would be wonderful."

Henrietta paused, then said. "I'll try my best."

Purrcy smiled at her. "Thank you." Henrietta blushed. "Maybe we'll do it together, since I may get too excited and step in anyway." Henrietta looked askance at Purrcy.

Purrcy looked at the others, "Then, if you don't mind, since it's a mostly-boy's school, most of you will have to play male roles." She walked over to Nazuna and Rieze and waved Akatsuki over, who looked a little surprised to be called on as well. "You three will be the bullies who turn into comic relief - sorry. You're perfect for the bully side, though. Rieze, you're the leader of the small pack, double earrings in both ears, sloppy appearance, but cool. In junior high, you were a gang leader, but your mother read you the riot act so you don't fight in high school. She's really scary, trust me." Rieze got into character immediately with a cool grin and delinquent pose.

"Perfect. Nazuna you're his second-in-command who graduated from the same gang and stayed with him into high school. Wiry, quick to jump into the fight if it get's started, but calm with the gang, kind of the father figure for them, but you don't fight either now since he doesn't. Even less caring about appearance. Just as cool." Nazuna grinned, then struck a 'cool delinquent' pose of disinterest.

Purrcy smiled in delight and turned to the last of the trio. "Akatsuki, you joined up with them at the beginning of the first year of high school - ah, you're all in second year - and you're quiet, act delinquent with them, but of the three you actually study and care." Purrcy leaned down and whispered in Akatsuki's ear, likely more about her character. Akatsuki stared in surprise. Purrcy patted her shoulder. "Don't worry. Just be you. It'll work. Trust me." Akatsuki blinked, then nodded with a determination to try.

Purrcy turned to Tetorō. "Can you be the class male idol, Usui? He's blonde because he's half English and it shows in his perfect beauty both girls and boys swoon over. He's very jaded because of it so is mostly indifferent to everything. He's the only one with better grades than Misaki and he doesn't have to work hard to get them, where she does." Purrcy looked around. "Isuzu, will you play a bit part of a girl who's confessing to him, gets rudely rejected and starts to cry, then runs away when Misaki comes to the rescue?"

"Sure," Isuzu said.

"Marie, you'll be Misaki's boss." Marielle perked up. "She's a fun-loving otaku, who's sweet and loves to just help others have fun, too. We'll have Minori be one of the other employees, and Isuzu you can be one, too, if you want. That will be enough for us to get the few most important scenes of the first episode."

"Okay. This will set the story line and the beginning, so Act 1 Scene 1, so to speak. The three delinquents are arriving to school late and are just reaching the gate. Misaki confronts them at the gate. Usui has been called out by yet another girl wanting to confess and they aren't too far away from that location, but still on school grounds." She stepped back and everyone moved to take up positions.

"Misaki, you're going to scold the delinquents for their appearance and tell them exactly what needs to be fixed before they can come onto school grounds and slam the gate in their face. Then you'll hear the sound of a girl crying and rush to that location to find the rejection just completed and scold Usui then storm off. You're welcome to make up the words. It's not like I can remember the exact text anyway. Usui don't bother defending yourself. Action."

Rieze and Nazuna sauntered up to Henrietta and Akatsuki ghosted along with them. The two delinquents had already made their appearance slightly sloppier, so Henrietta had something to work with. She scolded the earrings and the loose shirts and properly required them to correct themselves before returning, then acted like she was slamming a gate closed. Rieze and Nazuna had perfect irritated looks on their faces and Akatsuki scowled, playing her part well.

Isuzu put her hands over her face and pretended to sob. Tetorō had a hand in a pocket and was looking slightly irritated, slightly bored. Marielle could see Purrcy light up when she saw the acting. Henrietta stormed over and proceeded to give Tetorō a scolding while he looked away from her, uncaring. Isuzu ran off to the side. When the diatribe was done, Henrietta stormed off. Tetorō looked after her. "That's the fourth time she's said that."

Purrcy froze. "You've watched it, Tetorō."

He grinned at her. She wiggled in absolute delight and they all laughed at her. Tetorō walked over to her and pet her. "It's perfect. Keep going."

Purrcy laughed. "Okay. Scene two is in the halls. The three delinquents have improved their appearance. It's the end of the school day and they're trying to get another girl classmate - ah, Minori, we'll have you this time - to take over their hall cleaning duties. She needs to get to an after school activity. Misaki arrives to let her go and scold the delinquents - she calls them the 'three idiots' as she scolds them and they take offence but she doesn't care. The head one didn't take out his earrings, so she scolds him again and he says he'll do it later but that's not good enough for her and she rips them out of his ears, and sends them running. We'll have Usui give his warning that maybe she doesn't want the repercussions of hating boys and being so strict with them at this point, though it comes later in the story." She looked at Tetorō and he nodded. Everyone rearranged again and set up. "Action."

Rieze and Nazuna pressured Minori to take their cleaning duty. She stammered out a refusal. They pressed harder. Henrietta stepped up and sent Minori on and took the 'three idiots' to task. They fought verbally and Henrietta pretended to rip the earrings off Rieze and coldly barked more at them and they ran. Henrietta paused and blinked. "Hey. What about finishing the work?"

Tetorō laughed behind his hand and she looked over at him and scowled. "Well? It needs to be done by someone."

Tetorō recovered with a smile, then waved a hand and said, "Pres, if you're going to treat every guy as your enemy, they'll do the same towards you."

Henrietta scowled. "I hate men anyway."

Tetorō looked at her mildly. "Well, whatever. But if you insist, one day it'll come back to haunt you." He turned and walked off.

Henrietta blinked, then turned to Purrcy confused. Purrcy clapped. "That was perfect."

"It was?" Henrietta asked.

"Yup," Purrcy said happily. "Okay, next scene is set at Misaki's place of employment. She arrived home to a gate that fell apart, a new hole in the floor of the entry way, and her somewhat weak mother working her second job that she does from home, and her sister tells her that her boss called and had someone call in unable to work. She heads back out in a hurry to her place of employment." As Marielle, Isuzu, and Minori moved up to stand in place, Purrcy turned to Henrietta and smiled.

"Misaki found a flexible job with good pay in the next prefecture over so no one from school would know where she works and she keeps it a tight secret from them. She obviously needs the money to help her family, and it's an okay place to work, but it's a little confusing for her. She does her best...it's a maid cafe." Everyone but Tetorō blinked. "The three of you start by welcoming yet another customer with a maid's bow and welcoming the 'master' home. We'll have Isuzu waiting on another table. Minori will take that new customer and seat him, then Marie will apologize to Misaki for having to call her in. Misaki obviously needs the money today since there's a gate and a floor to fix this month on top of the other bills. Action."

There was a pause as everyone tried to rearrange to the maid cafe setting, Henrietta eventually blossoming into a red face. Marielle had a happy smile. She was enjoying it. Qwased stepped up and pretended to open a door. One of his other cast members made the sound of a bell ringing to announce his arrival. The three ladies all bowed, following Marielle's lead. "Welcome home, master," they said together. Minori asked Qwased to follow her to a table, near where Isuzu was pretending to serve another customer. A chair was handed over for Qwased to sit in, and he sat. Marielle turned to Henrietta. "I'm really sorry to call you out last minute to help. I really appreciate it."

Henrietta stammered out, "N-no. I'm glad to do it. Bills are tight this month."

"Well, I know it's hard on you, working here, but I'm glad you're such a hard worker. It really helps me a lot, you know."

"Well...I'm glad to help, really."

"Pause!" Purrcy called out. "Skip forward in time slightly. The owner asks Misaki to take the trash out to the alley. As she comes out, Usui is passing by and sees her. Misaki is devastated of course, but he doesn't stick around to chat and she returns inside. Then skip ahead again to the shop closing and Misaki walking out the alley door to go home. A short while later Minori, you say from inside that you're leaving. We'll see if Henrietta does the same thing Misaki does. If not, we'll prompt as we go. Action."

Marielle paused, blinked, then asked Henrietta, "Will you please take out the trash. The cans are so full!" She put her hand to her cheek.

"Ah...sure," Henrietta said. She rather stiffly pretended to gather up bags of trash and Marielle got out of the way. Henrietta walked 'out' and set down the bags of trash.

Tetorō, who had been moving into position, walked to just where she was, looked at her and paused. "Eh? Pres?"

Henrietta blushed beet red, then scowled. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, just walking past?"

"Then keep moving!" Henrietta turned away and 'reentered' the cafe. Tetorō gave a secret smile and stepped back a few steps and stood waiting.

Henrietta walked close to Marielle, and then worried her fingers as if she were Marielle herself. Marielle raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay, Misaki?"

Henrietta jumped. "Wha! Ah...well...I just...no...everything's fine, manager!"

"Well...okay," Marielle said kindly. "Could you begin closing up shop?"

"Ah, yes!" Henrietta looked around, then randomly did things while Isuzu bade farewell to her customer. Minori bowed to Qwased. "Thank you for coming, master. Please have an excellent evening."

"Thank you," Qwased said politely and left the cafe from the front door, the same 'door bell' ringing in the background. He returned to his place to watch with a smile.

"Obviously you didn't come in the maid outfit, so you won't go home in it," Purrcy commented from her position of watching from in front. "There's a changing room with lockers, but we can skip that, just so you understand before you walk out the alley door." The four 'maids' nodded their understanding.

Henrietta looked nervously at Marielle and she smiled encouragingly. "Thank you for your hard work," she said.

Henrietta nodded. "I'm going now. Thank you for the work today." Marielle waved. Henrietta took a deep breath, then headed to where she had put the 'door' to the alley, opened it and walked through it. Tetorō shifted and Henrietta jumped. "Ah! You - you're still here?"

"You're back to normal. I wanted to make sure it really was the President." His expression was carefully neutral and almost noble.

Henrietta scowled. "Well...it is! But you don't have to make such a deal out of it. And you certainly didn't have to stay around."

Purrcy waved at Minori and motioned for her turn to leave. "Ah. I'm going now, manager," Minori said and began to move towards the 'alley'.

Henrietta glanced back at Minori in a panic, then grabbed Tetorō . "Come on. We'll talk elsewhere." She started dragging him off. Tetorō looked back at Purrcy and gave her a solemn wink.

"Okay clear the set and Misaki bring him back to center stage. You're taking Usui to an empty play park to explain." Marielle and the other young girls scattered to the edges.

Henrietta paused, got a grip on herself, then only slightly dragged Tetorō back to the center, though it was looking more like she wanted to run...only it didn't. Marielle frowned a bit as she considered Henrietta.

"So...you're working a job as a maid this far from home to keep the rest of the school from knowing about it?" Tetorō asked.

Henrietta nodded. "My family...circumstances require me to be working. The pay is decent and they have flexible hours and will let me work like today, when others can't come in."

"Why not just get a physical labor job closer to home?" Tetorō asked.

"Because then I'd be too worn out for my studies. I have to keep my grades up to stay President of the student council. That's a lot of work, too."

"Mm...that's hard for you, then." Tetorō agreed. "Well...there's no helping it then, is there?"

Henrietta looked down at her hands. "No, not really. It's an okay place to work." She looked up at his eyes. "Don't tell anyone."

Tetorō shrugged. Henrietta ground her teeth, but Tetorō just turned with a wave of the hand. "Good luck," he said as he walked off.

"Cut." Purrcy said. "That was wonderful. Okay come back Usui. We'll go ahead and do the little scene at school. Misaki, it's been about three or four days. He hasn't said anything, near as you can tell. He has come back to the shop just to order one drink and watch you for as long as you're on the clock and he has time. Your workload as Student Council President has increased, because you keep accepting more work on your own shoulders and you're starting to feel it, though you're ignoring the coughs that occasionally come. We need a chair to simulate her working at her desk. Usui, you know what to do. Misaki, you try to get him to leave. When you stand up, though, you get dizzy and start to faint, though you don't actually. Action."

Qwased's helpful stagehand put a chair in place and Henrietta sat in it and pretended to work, looking very serious. She coughed into her hand. "That doesn't sound good," Tetorō said from the side, not quite looking at Henrietta. "I think you need to let up a little, Pres."

Henrietta looked up and scowled at Tetorō and Marielle finally understood. Henrietta was _really_ playing Misaki, and with everything she had. Marielle blinked in wonder. "If I let up, nothing will get done. It's nothing that I can't do anyway."

"Well," Tetorō turned his head away, "if you say so, but you don't really need to do it all yourself, you know." Henrietta stood up. "It'll catch up with you."

"It's just fine," Henrietta swayed and Tetorō jumped to catch her.

"As I was saying," he said wryly.

Henrietta blushed, then pushed herself to her feet again and pushed Tetorō away. "Leave me alone, Usui. I can't get work done when you're here to annoy me." She stalked back to her chair and sat down.

Tetorō sighed at her. "So you say," he murmured and walked out of the 'office'.

"Excellent," Purrcy said calmly. "Same day, that evening, and you're at work, in the maid uniform. Scene is the alley again. You come out with the trash - you have the strength to carry it, but not tonight. A fever's really set in now." Purrcy turned to the three delinquents. "And now is when you three come in again. You're passing the alley as she enters it and recognize her. It's payback time. The only person in the school you fear and respect, other than the President when she's mad, is Usui. Misaki, you've had time to contemplate your rudeness to Usui in the council office and somewhat regret it." Henrietta nodded. The three delinquents had moved into position. "Action."

Next to Marielle, Tetorō was wrapping a scarf around his neck. She raised an eyebrow. He was watching the scene rather seriously, as into his acting now as Henrietta seemed to be. "Oh, ho! The student body president...is a maid!" Rieze said dangerously teasing, bringing her henchmen up to loom over Henrietta.

Henrietta had a momentary look of panic on her face, then she tried to scowl and look ill at the same time. "I don't know what you're talking about," she turned away from them.

"Oh, I think you do," Nazuna said smoothly. She reached into her pocket and pretended to pull out something and hold it up. "I think a few pictures might be required right about now."

Henrietta's eyes went wide and she turned her face away. "Get lost," she growled.

"No, I don't think so," Rieze said. "My ears still hurt." She reached out for Henrietta. "I think the maid can play for me to pay me back."

A hand was suddenly blocking her hand and Tetorō had Henrietta protectively to his chest. She slumped, putting her hand to her head, breathing like she was fevered. "Don't touch her just because she's cute," Tetorō said menacingly cool.

"Ah, Usui!" Rieze said in surprise. He glared at the delinquents. They backed off.

"Are you alright," Tetorō asked Henrietta. He looked up and glared at the three again and they took off with a "sorry".

"I'm sorry," Henrietta said, leaning on Tetorō, who was feeling her forehead and supporting her.

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry, Usui," Henrietta said, then closed her eyes as if passing out.

Tetorō set her on the ground, supporting her back, took the scarf off from around his neck and wrapped it around hers. Marielle caught a motion from Purrcy and realized she was being called on. She went quickly to the two. "Ah, what happened to Misaki?"

Tetorō looked up at her. "Can you contact her mother? She has a high fever."

Marielle put her hands to her mouth. "Certainly. Just a moment."

"Cut." There was silence and they looked at Purrcy. Her eyes were glistening and she was just staring at them. Marielle gave her a small smile. "Ah." Purrcy shook her head slightly. "Lay Misaki down as if in her bed and bring me the scarf." Her voice was soft. Marielle helped Tetorō, who unwrapped the scarf first before Henrietta lay down completely. Marielle got out of the way and Tetorō handed the scarf to Purrcy. She caught the soft look he gave Purrcy. Purrcy's ear turned just ever so slightly as she swallowed and took the scarf. Tetorō and Marielle got out of the way.

Purrcy knelt next to Henrietta and put a handkerchief on her forehead, pretended to pull a blanket up over Henrietta, then folded the scarf tenderly and lovingly, setting it on her lap. There was a very quiet sniff and Henrietta opened her eyes and then sat up, a surprised look on her face. "Hahaue?"

"I'm sorry," Purrcy said. "I'm sorry I didn't know you weren't feeling well. Please, take a day to rest and recover." She softly set the folded scarf on Henrietta's lap, rose, and walked back out before turning to watch again. Henrietta was picking up the scarf to hold it in her hands. There was another sniff from Purrcy.

Henrietta rose, holding the scarf and she looked at Tetorō questioningly. He nodded and walked out to center stage and sat down with his legs splayed in front of him. Henrietta turned a door handle and walked through a door. "Usui, here you are on the roof," she said.

Marielle stared at her in surprise, and so did the other ladies. Tetorō looked over his shoulder at her. "Those three, they haven't said anything. I told them I wanted to enjoy your secret as my own secret pleasure. They'll keep their mouths shut."

"So, it really was for your own amusement." Henrietta's voice was dry.

He looked at her again. "Because if I said that I was worried about you, you'd get mad, right?" Henrietta moved closer with an irritated look on her face, as he looked away from her as if disinterested again. "Well, I don't really mind if it gets leaked out to the school. Since you're allowed to work part time anyway. Even if you put on a maid uniform, your strength, your intelligence and how you like to overwork yourself...," Henrietta's look had gone to one of soft surprise, "...all of these don't change. Just be proud of yourself."

"All day yesterday, I was wondering why you're such an annoying guy." Henrietta said, but not very sharply.

"Didn't I just say something nice?" he asked mildly surprised.

Henrietta looked out over the scene in front of them. "You're always running ahead of me easily, even though I'm running as hard as I can with all that I have. Then you turn around and face backwards to tease me. I hate losing and it's vexing to lose to you. It makes me angry. ...But this time, you were running forward and helped me." She turned to look at Tetorō again. "Just you wait. I'll definitely overtake you and it will be my turn to worry about you. Ah, right!" She lifted the scarf and held it out to a surprised Usui. "Sorry about the scarf and a lot of other things," she said very practically. "I don't like owing people, but I can't think of the proper thank-you gift to give you."

Tetorō sat up and crossed his legs. He took the scarf and said, with a small wicked look, "Well, then...how about being my personal maid for a day?"

" _Hah!?_ " Henrietta cried in disbelief and disgust. The watchers all laughed. Purrcy started clapping and the rest joined in. Tetorō grinned at Henrietta and stood up. They bowed together, then motioned to the rest of them who had been in the impromptu play. Marielle ran in and hugged Henrietta and the whole cast bowed together as Purrcy clapped and laughed happily. Marielle watched with a smile on her face as Tetorō and Henrietta went together to give Purrcy a hug.

She was sniffing again, one arm around each one. "Thank you. Thank you so much, both of you," she said to them. "To all of you. ...Though, that was very sly, Henrietta."

Henrietta chuckled slightly and whispered in her ear. Tetorō laughed. "No surprise there to me either," he said. "We should do another episode sometime."

"I would like that very much," Purrcy said, her eyes gleaming brightly.

"Actually...," Henrietta said shyly, "...so would I. That was rather fun."

The others grouped around them. "I enjoyed my part," Rieze agreed.

"Mine was easy," Akatsuki said.

"I'd do it again," Nazuna said, striking a delinquent pose.

"Well...," Purrcy looked between Tetorō and Henrietta, "...you might not like what they become after this. Like I said earlier, they become the comedic relief later, when they show up...except in the one episode they star in. You'd like that one, I think."

"That was very well done," Lionidius said stepping forward. "Maybe you'd like to do it for real?"

Everyone kind of jumped or paused at that. Purrcy finally slumped, her ears down a little. "We're all a bit busy for that, really. You'll have to let us think about it."

Marielle looked at her in surprise. "You'd really give up so easily, Purrcy?"

"That's not only not you, that's not right," Rieze agreed sternly, crossing her arms.

"Sorry," Purrcy said softly. She sighed. "Well, it's not like you'd need me much anyway. The mother doesn't show up often."

She was attacked and swamped. "The _director_ is needed."

"No, no," she said, "I'm not a director. There were a lot of things that needed smoothing out by a director in that that I'm not qualified to do. I can't even remember the details of most of the episodes. Tetorō had those lines memorized, but I only remembered the flavor of them. And Henrietta remembered more than me, too. I just know that I like to watch it."

"Well," Serera said softly, "that's what I told Qwased when the legion was here. You just remember what you can, then call on others who liked it, too, and they remember their own bits and pieces until you get enough of it put together between you to have a show, like you just did."

Qwased nodded. "All of these helped me. I thought I had everything memorized, but there were parts I had forgotten. And really...I did like your suggestion that we don't have to have it memorized. We can make it up as we go if we need to, or can even create something new." The others of his cast nodded.

"I agree," Lionidius concurred. "We use puppets now, but there is so much flexibility in acting. The audience has expectations, particularly on the more popular shows like _Pokemon_ or _Conan_ , but on the ones lesser known, like this one, allowing for imperfections or necessary changes it isn't a problem."

Purrcy paused, then sighed. "Thank you for your encouraging words, everyone. We'll see what we can do."

"Ah," Qwased rubbed his head, "would it be alright if we put that one together for Minami?"

Purrcy shrugged. "I don't care, but maybe the rest do if you're planning on showing it for the winter festival. I'd hate to not let them do it there if they wanted to."

Faces lit up. Qwased laughed. "Well, if you wanted to, we'd let you have stage time. It would be fun to see it really done in costume." Marielle smiled as they said their goodbyes and prepared to move on. She was glad Purrcy was having a fun evening doing something she loved.

They moved on, back into the press of the festival, stopping to get pumpkin pie to share on the way, and to let Purrcy look through the vendor booths. Tetorō called a halt to it a little earlier than the others were ready, but he gave a significant look that let them know Purrcy was wearing out and they relented and chatted happily on the way back to Water Maple manor to return the two Princesses of the Land.

As they walked Purrcy back to Log Horizon, she said, "Will the rest of you come up to the top of the guild hall? We could chat just a little longer, but," she winked, "we have to arrive silently. There's a surprise waiting on top for us."

"Oh?" Rieze said with conspiratorial surprise. "Have the men been busy?"

"Mmm...rather," Purrcy said, looking away innocently, clasping her hands behind her back. Marielle wondered what it was, though it looked like Tetorō might have paled slightly.

-:-:-:-:-

"That was excellent, really!" Soujirou applauded as the sudden impromptu acting troupe bowed. "What a wonderful encore performance to see. They're rather talented, aren't they?"

Shiroe and Nyanta exchanged looks. "She isn't wrong. They don't have the time to suddenly become an acting group," Shiroe said softly.

"Who said anything about suddenly," Soujirou waved a hand. "They've got two months to practice before the winter festival. Surely that can be done around the edges, like the school plays for school festivals. That would be more than sufficient."

Shiroe couldn't look at Soujirou. "Well...we'll see," he finally said. The conversations moved to other topics as the video feed only showed the ladies shopping now.

Shiroe and Michael noticed it about the same time almost a half-hour later - that the video feed was looping. It was too late, though. The ladies attacked about the same time, the video being sufficient to let them understand what the men had been doing that evening. Purrcy locked them in and locked out all Hacker attacks. Hell really had no fury like a woman (multiple of them this time) toyed with. One by one, the men returned to life again at the Cathedral. They gathered sadly as a group until they all had arrived. Not one had been spared.

Shouryuu sighed. "Well...I guess I may as well find an inn that has an attic room available. Miss Henrietta will have locked me out of the hall tonight, I would guess."

Shiroe felt the blood leave his face. Soujirou swallowed. "I...Nazuna also...has permissions to lock out. I wonder if it matters whether or not I'm the owner?"

All of the Log Horizon men appealed to Shiroe. He shook his head. "Minori has permissions, not enough to lock me out,...but...we're talking about Purrcy." Everyone slumped.

Naotsugu put his hands behind his head and looked away. "I wonder if Isaac has enough room to put us up. No point in asking D.D.D."

Shiroe put his hand to his face. "We can't go to one of the Round Table. Not tonight. And the inns are full." He dropped his hand and scowled at Charlie. "I did warn you."

Charlie dropped his gaze. "Sorry, Guildmaster Shiroe." The other Eagles also looked very trounced.

Michael sighed. "Well...now they know what it is to cross Hahaue. They couldn't stay the favorites forever."

"Does she have favorites?" Soujirou asked. The other officers all looked at him darkly, then chose not to answer.

Nyanta sighed. "I think, there are too myany of us. There is only one way." He looked around at the group and they looked back questioningly. "Purroper humility and repentance." They slumped and nodded.

"There's always the tree clearing," Michael said morosely, "if that doesn't work."

Shiroe sighed and looked out over the city of Akiba, moving to the magic lights as if to the sun, full of the noise and smells of the festivities of the night. For a moment, he was simultaneously proud of the city and how far it had come...and sad. He felt a hand on his right shoulder that squeezed for just a moment, then just rested there to give him strength. A warmth was on his left as well, and he knew a tail was waving gently there, a hand ready to strengthen him resting on a rapier at the side of that man.

"We'll be back to see it again," Naotsugu said quietly. "Akiba won't go anywhere. It's just time again is all."

"Together we'll find it," Shiroe's words didn't feel like they were coming from him. "Together we'll find the way home and the vista that lets us return." He closed his eyes and held himself as his heart clenched. This time...they'd leave behind comrades who wouldn't walk those paths to those vistas again...and he'd have to let them stay. He took a deep breath. They'd walk their own paths to their own vistas, then, after that, sharing those adventures and seeing those beautiful things. And they would all remember the ones they had seen together, and who their comrades had been.

When he was ready, he nodded and the hands gave him one more press of encouragement and released him. "Well...shall we try to go home then?" he said and stepped forward to lead his men back to the guild hall, their current home away from home. The answer to entering it tonight was definitely a gentle, humble request. He hoped the answer to the bigger one was similar, and not as difficult.

They went as a group first to West Wind Brigade and humbly begged forgiveness of Nazuna so that Soujirou could go home. Somehow they gained him entry. Shouryuu was next and not quite as difficult, though the two ladies of the house were still angry with Log Horizon and wouldn't have let them in.

Their own house, next door, was daunting. "Above," Naotsugu said quietly. Shiroe nodded. They would be watching from the roof for them to come.

He stopped them where they could look up and be seen just a little better. They all bowed as they had before the other two guild halls. Shiroe didn't speak. It was the responsibility of the sub-guild. Michael took responsibility and voiced the apology for the main sin, then the three senior officers apologized for their part in it in passively participating.

"What payment will you give to continue forward?" came floating down on the wind from above.

Those who had been in the Maze of Eternity looked at each other. Naotsugu stepped forward first. He looked up and said loud enough to be heard from the roof, "I will give my Hahaue my second kiss as a married man. I cannot give my first for it must be given to my wife."

Shiroe was surprised he said it without a blush. "It is acceptable," came the answer and Naotsugu relaxed.

"That seems an odd thing to give," came a quiet comment from the back, but the officers understood it. Michael shifted but didn't say anything yet.

Nyanta stepped forward and looked up. "I will dance with my wife on our wedding night before all the guests so that they myay all see her beauty and grace."

There was a pause, then "It is acceptable," floated down.

Michael looked at Shiroe and he shook his head. He didn't have an answer he could give yet. Michael nodded and turned to his squadron. "Sing, ladies. She's as homesick as we are. _America the Beautiful_." The squadron drew themselves up and readied themselves. He stood with them and one of the other men stepped out in front and hummed a note, then lifted his hands. On the down beat, the men together sang in unison:

_O beautiful for spacious skies,_  
_For amber waves of grain,_  
_For purple mountain majesties_  
_Above the fruited plain!_  
_America! America!_  
_God shed His grace on thee_  
_And crown thy good with brotherhood_  
_From sea to shining sea!_

They stopped and a single voice rang out from the group for a solo on the verse, followed by the rest joining in for the chorus:

_O beautiful for pilgrim feet,_  
_Whose stern, impassioned stress_  
_A thoroughfare for freedom beat_  
_Across the wilderness!_  
_America! America!_  
_God mend thine every flaw,_  
_Confirm thy soul in self-control,_  
_Thy liberty in law!_

__

The final two verses were sung in harmony, the third verse with awe and honor due heroes and given by those who knew what it was to walk the path of those same heroes:

_O beautiful for heroes proved_  
_In liberating strife,_  
_Who more than self their country loved_  
_And mercy more than life!_  
_America! America!_  
_May God thy gold refine,_  
_Til all success be nobleness,_  
_And every gain divine!_

_O beautiful for patriot dream_  
_That sees beyond the years_  
_Thine alabaster cities gleam_  
_Undimmed by human tears!_  
_America! America!_  
_God shed His grace on thee_  
_And crown thy good with brotherhood_  
_From sea to shining sea!*_

The final verse swelled up into the air then slowly left silence behind it. A different voice spoke. "Hahaue's crying too hard to answer, but she has found it acceptable." The whole squadron relaxed in relief and smiled at Michael.

Charlie stepped forward and said, "Because the initial fault was mine, in not being obedient to Guildmaster Shiroe, I will offer my service to each of the ladies of the guild, one day to follow and obey each one."

There was some quiet discussion above then that same voice - Isuzu - answered, "It is acceptable. We will come down."

"Commander, you left off some warriors from the list, I think," the Lieutenant Commander commented as they waited outside the building.

"Well...it is a different way of fighting," he commented mildly, "but I see your point." He looked at his second from the corner of his eye. "I did warn you she was a wildcat, though."

"True enough," Reed agreed.

The door opened and the four ladies of Log Horizon exited the building and stood looking at all the men. Touya and Rudy looked at each other and walked forward to stand in front of their respective partners and bowed. Each one received a chop to the head that they took silently and retreated from. A spark showed up in front of Michael and he took a deep breath, then held very still. A tiny lightning bolt shot from it and he winced, his eyes tearing up from the smart. He cautiously rubbed his forehead as Shiroe moved up to take the final turn.

Shiroe had to answer to all four. He looked at each one in turn, then bowed. "I will more properly be stern in my orders when I know they are right and should be followed, and follow through promptly and properly if they aren't. ...Though this will also affect you," he added just a bit wryly.

The ladies looked at each other, then nodded. "It's sufficient," Akatsuki answered.

They parted to open the way to the door. "Go straight to bed," Purrcy ordered mildly. "We'll be taking tomorrow and the next day off from household chores. See you keep up with them."

"Yes, Hahaue," they answered obediently, then walked the short gauntlet into the house, Shiroe leading the way. He stopped at his door to watch that everyone made it into the guild hall.

The ladies walked in last, closing the door behind them quietly. Purrcy led them to the central seating in the main room. As he closed his door quietly behind him, Purrcy was speaking quietly to them and Akatsuki was pulling out tea for them. He stopped suddenly, wondering where the last member of the guild was.

"I'm here," Tetorō said quietly. Shiroe's eyes turned to where Tetorō was sitting on the chair that was his usual perch in the office. His knees were drawn up to his chest and he was rocking back and forth, his usual for when he was rather full of emotions and trying to protect himself.

"Still Hahaue's favorite?" Shiroe asked, though without bitterness.

"Not so much. Just a special case." Tetorō answered, his eyes following Shiroe as he moved to his position on the couch. "Charlie used me as the link, so I've been shut out, but it wasn't willing or knowingly so I'm not really punished either...except by being shut out." That was harsh enough, really. Likely Tetorō would make Charlie pay him as well.

"You gave her an unexpected gift. You and Henrietta," he commented.

Tetorō's eyes went soft and he looked distantly. He nodded and rocked. After a bit he said, "I'm glad we could. It's rare we can. She still holds herself too strongly. I hope Nyanta can fix that after two days from now. She might break this next time, otherwise."

"Mmm...I would give it the time after that." Shiroe disagreed mildly.

Tetorō considered it then shook his head. "It'll be this time or she won't. I think there are things in this next one that she can't know. None of us can. It's even possible this is the last floor." He paused in his rocking, then stood up. "After all, we're all still looking for the door at the end of this one, if one is to be found."

"You really think this is the core of the mountain?" Shiroe asked.

Tetorō looked at him. "Unless there's a door or a waterfall to take us farther down, yes."

Shiroe considered him a little longer, then looked away. "I still think there's one more layer," he answered back.

Tetorō shrugged. "Maybe. And maybe that's the whole of the world spread out before us on the other side." He put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door. "Which door we find will depend on which world is on the other side."

Shiroe considered that. "Maybe," he agreed. "And maybe that's after the next one."

"Well...maybe it's a two-layer level, then." Tetorō said. Shiroe nodded. He could live with that compromise. Tetorō let himself out and closed the door. Shiroe suspected he was also being sent up directly to bed. He sighed and got himself put to bed as well, but he stayed up thinking for a long time before falling asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *America the Beautiful, Katharine Lee Bates, 1893.


	12. Game Moderator

The joint conference between the Ministry of Minami and the Round Table Council of Akiba was held in a large sitting room in the Guild Hall. The Guild Hall had both guild halls and rentable rooms of various size and variety and was highly convenient for this reason. Since the Guild Hall was already owned by the land, it being one of the first things Shiroe had returned, it was renting out empty guild halls to groups from Minami who had the capacity to pay even a little bit. All of the members of the Ministry of Minami were renting there. That made the Guild Hall the perfect place to hold the joint conference as well.

This sitting room had multiple plush chairs, couches, side tables and coffee tables scattered throughout. Shiroe had opted to forego any formal table at all this time. They were all equal, between the two cities and within them, really. There would be formal and informal discussions, and he wanted everyone to spend the first part getting to know each other generally, since this was the first time they'd all be together at once.

The junior members of Log Horizon were making sure the h'orderves and light drinks were kept up, though they were only set out on a long side table. The guildmasters, ministry members, and invited aides were getting their own food and drink as they desired. Shiroe had just entered from a side door, where there was an attached office. He and Purrcy had been waiting there until Nyanta had given them the notice that everyone else was there. He scanned the room, then walked straight up to Nakalnad, who was standing with Isaac, Kazuhiko, and Michitaka. Shiroe held out his hand. "It's good to see you again," he said pleasantly. "I know I've said it before, but welcome to Akiba. I hope yesterday was relaxing for you."

"Yes, thank you," Nakalnad said politely shaking Shiroe's hand, making for an excellent photo shoot opportunity. He'd come dressed up, but not too formal, Shiroe was glad to see. He looked much more comfortable than he did in his usual fighting gear, actually. "We enjoyed watching the tournament yesterday afternoon." He couldn't keep his eyes from drifting to Purrcy as he spoke, and the tension in at the very least this little group was rather high.

"Kazuhiko," Shiroe offered his hand to the other top leader of Minami as well.

"Shiroe. Good to see you again." Kazuhiko was having an even harder time paying attention to Shiroe.

Shiroe smiled secretly to himself. "And have you enjoyed yourself as well?"

"Yes, thank you," Kazuhiko politely tried to come back. "I was also at the tournament as well. We were sad to see that our top fighter wasn't quite as good as yours - this time."

"Well, perhaps next time," Shiroe consoled him politely. "You'll be on home soil, after all."

"True," Isaac said calmly. "Home advantage often wins out. We discussed the possibility of holding a large mock battle and they're interested in the idea."

"Wonderful," Shiroe said. "Our guild members thought it would be fun when Nakalnad's group was here before, but there wasn't time then sadly. I'll let you work out the details, though I'd like to hear them and get them approved by all the guildmasters before we announce it generally."

"Of course," Isaac said dismissively.

By this time they had everyone's attention, though they'd had it before now, too. "Well, before we get too far into the business of today, there's a little bit of prior business to finish up," Shiroe said lightly. "Nakalnad, this is Purrcy. She asked to speak with you before we began." Shiroe gestured to the quietly waiting felinoid behind him.

Purrcy stepped up and held out her hand to Nakalnad, who cautiously gave her his hand. "Thank you very much, Guildmaster Nakalnad, for being willing to enter the Maze of Eternity one more time for my sake, and the sake of all those who'd been affected by the errors of others. It was very kind of you and your warriors."

Nakalnad swallowed. Shiroe had asked her to only hide her status effect today, leaving the rest openly readable. She was by far the highest level person standing in the room, and had a Class no one had ever heard about. "You're very welcome. We were glad to finally complete it properly - and honestly, to be done with it."

"I'm very sure," Purrcy smiled kindly. "It's not a pleasant dungeon to face. I walked it with you the first two times. Indicus prevented me thereafter."

"You did?" Nakalnad was surprised enough to ask.

Purrcy nodded. "I was hoping it would be sufficient since not many of us had been made to suffer that fate yet, but sadly that wasn't the case."

Nakalnad nodded then released her hand suddenly realizing he was still holding it. Purrcy deigned to not notice particularly. She held out both hands, and there was suddenly a shimmering golden cloth in her hands, folded many times. Shiroe blinked and looked at it's status. It was listed as _Cloth of the Laumė_ , a crafting item with bonuses of protection against the status effects of sleep and decreased attack, as well as a modest MP increase. His eyebrow raised and so did Nakalnad's.

"I visited the laumės before returning to Akiba," Purrcy said, "and asked them to provide the dungeon prize for successfully accomplishing the repair in the Maze of Eternity. They were willing. I'll leave it up to the two of you as to how you'll apportion it." She bowed slightly and handed it to Nakalnad, who was the proper person to decide since he was the raid leader.

He took it gently. "Ah, thank you." He looked up at her. "It's unexpected, however." Purrcy just smiled gently. Nakalnad looked at Shiroe, a question in his eyes.

Shiroe turned to Purrcy. "Do you know how much is here?"

"Ten yards, Guildmaster. Divided in half it would be enough for two full outfits. If you wished to give something to everyone, you could have sashes made. For one person it would make a lightweight cloak, but even the scraps would be useful. The level of crafter will determine the level of the final product."

Shiroe looked back at Nakalnad. "Shall we split it evenly, then, and decide what we'll do with each half on our own?"

Nakalnad tipped his head, then nodded. "Alright." He looked a bit helplessly at the cloth in his hands. Purrcy asked for it back and he handed it over.

Purrcy carefully measured to find the halfway point, then was suddenly holding a shiny silver pair of scissors. As they watched her touch the scissors to the fabric, it wasn't so much cutting it as it was a releasing of the threads that rewove themselves together behind the cut so that there were no frayed edges by the time she was done. Shiroe looked at the status on the scissors and wasn't too surprised to see they were specially crafted magic scissors. Likely they were a pair she'd had the blacksmiths of Grandale make for her.

When she was done cutting, she folded one half and gave it back to Nakalnad, then folded the other half and gave it to Shiroe. "Thank you," Shiroe said to her. "When I've decided what I want it made into, will you please design it for me?"

"Certainly," she answered, "I would be honored to."

"Can you craft it?" Nakalnad asked.

"No," Purrcy answered. "My sewing skill is too low for this material and I haven't the time either, however my designing skill is sufficiently high enough. I don't know what crafters there are in Minami for such things, but Shopping District 8 and Marine Organization both have high enough level crafters." Nakalnad nodded and Purrcy turned to Kazuhiko.

Taking Kazuhiko's hand, she said, "Thank you for helping me, and all of Minami. I'm grateful to you for your efforts and kindness."

"It's my pleasure to see you whole and well," he answered her kindly, pressing her hand in both of his. "Thank you very much for being willing to nearly cease to exist for the sake of all Adventurers."

"That wasn't me," she shook her head, taking her hand back. "That was my apprentice. When KR was killed and sent back to the Cathedral, I was returned to where he had been sent before, to be in safekeeping. The Master Strategist had already planned in advance for that to happen. I'm very glad my apprentice was safe. I would have been very sad to have lost him."

"There's more than one of you?" Nakalnad asked, slightly horrified.

"It's a good thing," Shiroe reassured him. "There are a number of Hackers now, actually, just like the Technicians, though perhaps not so numerous. Purrcy has been kind enough to train ours at the Akiba Adventurer Academy so they can have a better understanding of what they can do and shouldn't do." Nakalnad blinked but relaxed slightly. Kazuhiko seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as well.

There was a new member of the little grouping that was now fairly dancing in impatience. Purrcy turned to him. "KR," she nodded her head at him. "Thank you. I'm sorry to have used you horribly."

KR grabbed her in a hug. She calmly patted him on the head. He pulled back after a bit and held her by the shoulders and looked at her closely. "It's really you? You're really you and not someone else, or something else?"

She smiled. "Yes, KR, it's really me and no one else. I'm whole, like all the other Adventurers returned from the Maze of Eternity."

"And you're not mad, or gone crazy?"

"Only as crazy as any Adventurer brought here," she answered honestly. "I wasn't about to let a little thing like being without a physical body slow me down after already going through the catastrophe. You know that, KR."

He pulled up. "Ah, yes, I do. Right." Shiroe could see others of Log Horizon hiding smiles at that last comment from Purrcy. She certainly didn't let anything slow her down, really. Others in the room seemed to have heard a revelation, however. KR finally let Purrcy go. "Well, it's good to see you again. I'm very relieved."

"Thank you. I am as well. It's nice to have that over with. For all that I wasn't willing to slow down, I do much prefer my own body." Purrcy turned from KR to Isaac. "Guildmaster Isaac, thank you also for going and assisting in the Maze of Eternity. I'm grateful to you and your guild members who participated."

Isaac held out his hand. "Okay. But I want to know you're real, too," Purrcy allowed him to take her hand just long enough for him to be satisfied it was solid. "And are you really the same Purrcy who trained our Hackers?"

"Yes. I'm the one who made the barrier that prevented you from becoming a pile of mincemeat at the demonstration, though I was in a borrowed body at the time," she reassured him.

"And you're the one who took care of the Plague Master?" Michitaka asked, his arms still folded as he inspected her.

"Yes," Purrcy inclined her head. "My apologies for that one." They looked at her unsure of what she meant, but she didn't clarify.

Ains stepped up to the group. "Why did you test us before the festival?"

Purrcy looked at him quietly for a moment, considering her answer. "In the main, I was testing the students of the Academy, as the Dean, to see if they were ready to receive their course certifications and move on. It seemed prudent to test and see if the city had really learned its lesson from the Plague Master while I was at it. ...I can't say I was pleased, though I am glad you've resolved the problem properly because of it." Isaac wrinkled his nose and Michitaka harrumphed, embarrassed. Ains grimaced, but couldn't complain. Purrcy was really the only one who could have tested it, and they had failed.

"Guildmaster Ains, thank you for coming also to the Maze of Eternity. Please pass on my gratitude to your guild members as well." He nodded. Purrcy looked around, then bowed slightly and excused herself from the group. They watched as she went to Rieze and thanked her and her guild members as well for their part in restoring her to her body.

"What do you intend to do with her now, Shiroe?" Nakalnad asked. The atmosphere in the little group chilled just a little at the question.

Shiroe steeled himself. "Please remember, Nakalnad, in Akiba each Adventurer is free to do as they will. Purrcy will do as she wishes also. She accepted guilding with us originally because we offered to protect her from the Plague Master. She hasn't yet asked to move along, but seems content to remain a member of Log Horizon. As we all happen to like her, we're rather honored she chooses to remain. ...I do hope you, Kazuhiko, and KR properly received your invitations to her and Nyanta-san's wedding tomorrow evening. We're looking forward to it. What she does after that, she hasn't said to us yet, but it isn't common for her to stay put in one place for long."

Nakalnad scowled. "You're a master manipulator, Shiroe. If she's in your guild, you have plans for her."

Cautiously, Shiroe said, "Perhaps I have things I would like to have her help with, Nakalnad, but please look at her level again. What can I do if she chooses to say no, but let her do whatever she wants?" He looked at everyone in the group, which had multiple others listening to it now. "She is something beyond what we understand yet. So far, she has been kind, helpful, and gracious, even if a bit stern and strict. I would personally prefer to keep it that way. I would like Akiba to continue to stand happy and full of life, as it is today."

"Level isn't the only way to control, Shiroe," Nakalnad said.

Shiroe pushed up his glasses. "Nakalnad. Is it already time to break Plant Hwyaden into its pieces? Has becoming the Guildmaster made you into another Indicus?" He glared at Nakalnad who was suddenly pale and backpedaling slightly. "It wasn't me who broke her either. It was Purrcy with Kazuhiko's help and our help. Please stop talking and thinking in terms of 'control', particularly when it comes to Adventurers. Every Adventurer played _Elder_ _Tales_ because they chose to. Just because we didn't choose to come here doesn't change anything about what is inside us. We all each still choose what we'll do, individually. For Purrcy that's the thing that directs everything she does. You won't make her any angrier than to tell her she no longer has the right to choose what she will do. Indicus not only told her that, but then enforced it, and still Purrcy won. Please...do not die."

Nakalnad blinked, then turned just a little dark, but Kazuhiko started. "Shiroe," he asked suddenly, but cautiously, "what happened to Indicus? She still hasn't returned."

Shiroe looked at Kazuhiko very solemnly. "Purrcy made it very clear to her, when they were both spirits, that she didn't want to return to this world. ...Purrcy is actually rather special. As a TechnoMage, she has the capacity of an Administrator. She doesn't need to see Indicus to know where she is. If Indicus steps down from the moon to this planet again, Purrcy will know it immediately. If you will...she has put Indicus into the Special's prison...on the moon, and Purrcy is the warden. This world has given her that right. Whatever AI runs this world has chosen her to be the GM - the Game Moderator - of Yamato."

"I've worked with her enough now to trust her. To trust that she desires the best for each individual, and not just each individual Adventurer, but even down to the People of the Land and the monsters themselves. That is what her title Caretaker means. She prefers to interfere with the Adventurers to the least degree possible, but there is another reason why she won't answer to me other than to consider my requests."

He looked them over one more time. "She answers to the AI. If it tells her to go, she must go. I'm watching her to make sure the AI doesn't move against us. The only thing that makes me able to continue to merely watch her is because I know that Purrcy herself will turn against the AI itself if it takes from her what Indicus tried to take from her and all the Adventurers of Minami. This is why, Nakalnad," he turned back to the general, "I ask you to not die and to give up that line of thinking and believing. She will fight even this world itself with all it has given her if _it_ begins to think like that." Nakalnad looked his real age - young, and his real state - frightened by the world he was living in. They were all feeling it actually.

Suddenly the quiet room was filled with the sound of purring. Eyes turned to look towards Purrcy. She was standing attentive, having turned from her conversation with Akaneya, Woodstock, and Roderick to look at the group clustered around Shiroe, not bothering to hide she had heard every word. Her stance, though alert, was relaxed and her tail swayed gently from side to side. "Children, it is okay. This is a difficult circumstance, to be in this strange world, but already you have come this far and survived. Shiroe knows the way forward and I am helping him, the same as you each are. If we can return home, we will. A mother loves her children and only punishes when necessary, preferring to correct and lead and teach."

She waved a hand at Nyanta. "When we are married, you will also have a father who will stand to protect and lead you his children as well. Perhaps it is difficult for you to believe it, but we are actually very old, compared to you who are of the average age of players of MMORPGs. None of us is alone here. Let us help you and bring you comfort when the nightmares become overwhelming. The other Adventurers need you for your leadership and your strength. Be each other's strengths as well, and when you need to, let us be your strength. You have been working hard and should be very proud of yourselves. I'm proud of you, though I don't know if it matters to you. Please...continue to work hard."

Ains was the one who had the courage to clear his throat to break the silence. "In order for that to not sound like boasting...will you please tell us your age?"

Purrcy's ear turned gently as she considered him. "I will not. But I will give you a range that may satisfy you sufficiently." Shiroe perked up. Even Log Horizon hadn't been given much to go on yet. "When I was in the age range of most of you, I was cutting my teeth on the original RPG: _Dungeons and Dragons_. Version three was the first set of books I purchased myself. Please do not think that just because you have computers and MMORPGs that twenty-somethings have the exclusive right to love role playing. The reverse age prejudice limits you all severely. Already I have surpassed you and I entered this world at level twenty-three. The only reason Nyanta hasn't yet is because he enjoys being the lazy cat in the sun on the porch, where I cannot sit still."

"First Gen!" was whispered in the room.

Purrcy bowed her head graciously, then waved at the seats set up around the center of the room. "And like the first generation of role players, please, sit and let the current GM tell us all where we are and where we are going, and then we can plan together what path we will take." She looked at Shiroe. "When you're ready, Game Master."

"It's not you?" Kazuhiko asked in surprise as people moved to sit.

"No," Purrcy purred with a smile. "I count as an NPC in this game. I'm too powerful to run it, yet at the same time too limited, though I am sufficiently self directed. When we play I am Purrcy, the NPC. When we are resting, I am Hahaue, who will bring you the chips and soda and ask if anyone needs a ride home. Or bring out the blankets for those who will crash at our place, and make breakfast in the morning for when you finally wake up at noon only to begin again."

As everyone seated themselves, rather casually compared to how they'd begun actually, she added in a voice gone hard and firm, "Make no mistake, however. I am like you. I'm angry that we've been brought here against our will, that there are children here separated from those who love them and who they love. I fight with you to win this game, with the same ferocity that any mother of any creature will fight to protect their children and see they can live to smile at another day's sun. Listen well to Shiroe and work hard. We are all counting on you."

Michael sighed from off to the side. "I told you I found us a wildcat den mother." Purrcy's pointy cat teeth glinted as her lips lifted off them in a hard smile and her tail whipped once just a little faster, then she calmly sat down on a loveseat with Nyanta, who pet her briefly and nodded at Shiroe, giving him the floor.

Shiroe took a breath and looked around the room. "We'll start with introducing the newest members of the Ministry of Minami, then have the outgoing ones give their reports. Following that, we will discuss our ultimate goal - that of uniting all Adventurers on Theldesia towards the path of returning home to Earth, even if there are some who wish to remain. I believe with all of us working on it, we _can_ find the solution. Humans working together towards a goal produce results and solutions. Humans divided in will or in desire become lost and tossed by the whims of the world they live in. Let us stand united in this one thing until we discover that it is or isn't possible."

"At such a time as we might find it isn't, then we can decide if we will divide into tribal units and merely exist as best we can. I would prefer that we learn to coexist peaceably with this world and with one another, for only in that way can all have the best potential for the best life they can provide for themselves - here or at home." He nodded to the first of the newly appointed ministers of Akiba who opened her mouth, took a breath, and began the beginning of the strategy meeting of the fifth level of the dungeon of Theldesia.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy took the little speech of Shiroe's, cut it out and put it in simple data packets and sent it out along the pathways of the code realm of Theldesia to replicate and spread as far as they could. She made specifically sure to send them to all of the addresses they'd received of the other Caretakers of Theldesia. She put the words, in his voice, into magic boxes and attached them to creatures of Theldesia and made them like seeds, to replicate and drop off here and there, to be picked up and found and carried by children, creatures, and Adventurers, and opened to be listened to.

She could only attach them to creatures she could reach with her current level, so the seed method she used to get it carried farther on used the template of the burr so that it would attach and be carried a long distance. It would take several years that way, if it moved on its own, but humans are both curious and carriers of viruses. The seeds would become viral and move much faster with that combined method of spreading.

It wasn't necessary yet to lead anyone back to them. For now, it would be enough to spread the word. Those who were willing to join them would begin to show signs of growth and sprout and send up shoots that she would be able to find. Then they would see if that growth could become a trained vine that laced around the world, interconnecting the Adventurers who wished to work for that goal. She wrappered it with the simple translation program Shiroe had provided her with, not wanting to miss anyone.

As Adventurers began to open the boxes, and then spread it onward, in their own language they heard in China and southwest Asia: "We will discuss our ultimate goal - that of uniting all Adventurers on Theldesia towards the path of returning home --" And in India: "-- even if there are some who wish to remain. I believe with all of us working on it, --" And in Australia: "-- we _can_ find the solution. Humans working together towards a goal produce results and solutions."

It eventually worked its way into Russia and Turkey: "Humans divided in will or in desire become lost and tossed by the whims of the world they live in." And then through the Middle East to Europe: "Let us stand united in this one thing until we discover that it is or isn't possible." Then falling into Africa and jumping to Iceland and Greenland and then finally reaching, stretching with long thin fingers to Canada: "At such a time as we might find it isn't, then we can decide if we will divide into tribal units and merely exist as best we can."

From that link, and it's sister link from the far northwestern reaches of Russia into Alaska, it finally tumbled, rolled, and moved as fast as wildfire in dry land southward until all of North, Central, and South America had heard it as well: "I would prefer that we learn to coexist peaceably with this world and with one another, for only in that way can all have the best potential for the best life they can provide for themselves - here or at home."

It became the battle cry, the speech to bring encouragement to all who desired in their hearts to return home. Those who would, lifted themselves up and joined themselves to that cause, doing what they could where they stood and the seeds sprouted and began to grow.

And on that initial day, as they discussed the next steps for the Adventurers of just Akiba and Minami, Purrcy sat and purred, pleased and proud of the one they called the Master Strategist - Shiroe who glowed brightly in her eyes that day.

-:-:-:-:-

The joint press conference was a general good-will display, with members of both sides giving speeches of friendship, cooperation, and trade promises. They did weave the concept of everyone working together to go home to Earth into all the speeches as another common thread. There were many handshakes and smiles as well, until everyone's cheeks were tired.

Also at the joint press conference, Minami gifted Akiba with it's first vidscreen. It was immediately set up, being attached to the upper levels of the Guild Hall and used to rebroadcast the press conference, using joint Hacker-Communication mage magics. Purrcy made sure the first handshake of Nakalnad and Shiroe's was prominent and that Shiroe's clip of the battle cry was added to the beginning of the joint press conference rebroadcast, with both audio and video, as part of a news summary of the meeting that had occurred before the press conference. In this way, Shiroe received his first major positive public image. She and P/R of the Eagles put it together quickly with Charlie and pasted it in while the screen was being installed.

The junior members of the guild were relieved to finally have people saying something more positive about their guildmaster. People's opinions were typically summed up in, "Well, I guess he's alright. I'd like to go home, that's for sure." Even more encouraging were the ones who then said, "I don't know what I can do to help us get home, but I'll keep doing what I can do and look for opportunities." It also was relieving that having the joint conference and press release more widely seen via the vidscreen helped Adventurers of both cities relax a little better around each other, since their leaders were getting along. Though, truthfully, if you didn't look at a person's guild tag, you didn't really know who belonged to which city.

The first live broadcast to the vidscreen was the Akiba Adventurer Academy Certification Presentation Ceremony because the city was enjoying playing with its new toy, so the Minami Communication mages could teach the Akiba magicians how to use it, and for advertising of course. The ceremony was held on the play and presentation stage shortly after the lunch break. The first presentation of the new _Conan_ production, which was a slightly abbreviated form of the first movie, ended just before the ceremony so there were still lots of people loitering about, though it thinned just a bit when they discovered that it was break time for the Akiba Actors Association.

Purrcy wore her formal scholar's gown, and Marielle and Soujirou also came formally dressed, and each spoke to the students, instructors, and guests. In all, it wasn't all that exciting to watch, given how most educational ceremonies are, but the message got out that the Academy was doing good things and the students felt better for having received their passing grades and being recognized. Marielle felt better when they did get a rather good number of new students signing up based on the speeches that explained the expanded coursework that would be starting after the festival. They made sure to add Communication mage to the list for the survey course, because Akiba would need at least several to handle the needs of the vidscreen or there would be no use for it.

When the live broadcast was completed, they put up a static display of the activities schedule for the rest of the day and into the evening, that they would update as time moved on. When the ceremony and live broadcast was completed, Leonidius took the opportunity to ask if he could advertise the new play. He was immediately granted permission, for a fee. Given how many people hadn't been able to watch it the first time, he knew they were going to have to repeat it constantly until they were hoarse in order to have all of the people who wanted to see it be able to see it.

From that, negotiations began for how to pay the puppet play guild for recorded repeats of their performances that might be broadcast to the vidscreens and the first production ideas for smaller versions of the vidscreen were begun on the drawing boards in Minami's video technology labs. For some reason "a screen in every home" was still a desire in the Adventurers, even on Theldesia.

-:-:-:-:-

"Master Michael."

Michael blinked and rearranged his thinking a bit. "Yes, Lady Purrcy?" She'd asked him specifically to escort her after the Certification Ceremony to the joint military exercise between his sub-guild and D.D.D. There were a few others of his men with them as well, of course, so it couldn't start until they got there.

"You were made a Master at Arms before coming here, so that award can stand as it has been given. Our own heraldry needs to be decided, however. I would have your opinions and thoughts. I also need to ask a few questions." He waited for her to continue. "The sub-guild could be seen as your household. Would all of them be your squires?"

Michael clasped his hands behind his back and considered the answer to that question. He had to slightly shorten his stride to walk with her - because she was a felinoid, not because she was short since she wasn't - so he did keep enough awareness for that. "Do you really intend on making things so formal here?"

She tipped her head, though not to look at him. Like him, she was looking off into space in front of them. They were still in a fairly high traffic area, so needed to pay some attention to their traveling, though they were surrounded somewhat by others of their guild. "I would like to. It adds to the atmosphere and enjoyment, just like at home. Even if it's only meaningful to us as a guild, like it might be to a guild or household there. It might turn into something more later, but if it doesn't it's not significant. I do think if we're going to do it, it should be done right - _just in case._ "

"Hmm...I see," he said not quite committing. "It is true that to receive recognition and reward helps motivation, even in the small ways. Even the military pins are that way - both so that at a glance you know who you're talking to, and as a way to display your pride in the efforts of yourself or your group. But how detailed do you want to go?"

"I don't know. That's why I wanted to talk to you. It could go as detailed as identification of specific roles or as broad as a simple group identifier. I do have ideas, of course, but such things are best discussed with others before decided on. You and I have the best background, other than perhaps Rudy, to understanding just how detailed it can get, and how difficult to keep straight. I'm not sure we're ready yet to have a heraldic department, and I have no idea who I'd have be the herald...oh. Rudy of course."

Michael smiled. "That would be a good job for him that he would enjoy...possibly. Sometimes it seems difficult to tell."

Purrcy let that slide. "I wonder if he knows enough to know where we would be stepping on toes for heraldry that already exists here? I'll need to talk to him as well, I guess." She paused in her talking for a bit and they walked companionably until she continued. "Well...so would they? All be your squires, that is?"

Michael considered his men. "Reed is already a Master at Arms, but the rest of them could be considered squires here, I suppose. It just seems like rather a lot of them, when normally it's just a few who are specifically being trained by the Master at Arms or the Knight."

Purrcy nodded. "Typically one to four, as I recall." He nodded. That was the average range. He'd heard of up to six or so, but it got complicated with that many. "I suppose in our case, they're training themselves at this point. Are you specifically working with the ones who've decided to become full Hackers?"

"Yes," he nodded. They paused to let another large group of Adventurers, who looked like a group of friends from Minami that wanted to stick together, pass by them going the other way. "So they could be considered perhaps a little more in that specific case, but that's not really all that would be considered for squire."

"No," she agreed, watching the last of the group pass by them. When the guards in front decided there was room for them again, they got walking again. Her tail swished from side to side, they way it did when she paced and thought out loud in the guild hall. At least here they had a destination for her to take that restless energy out on. "And that's where it gets complicated. I'm not sure I really want to go to the detail of a marker for the Hackers, a marker for the Communication Mages, a marker for...you get my meaning." He nodded. He did. "But at the same time, I would like to have a marker that identifies the VFA-115 Eagles as my - or my and Shiroe's - guard, showing they've agreed to that allegiance and that they have special favor because of it. Then, even if they aren't wearing the formal uniform, there is something to identify them, as you say. I'm sure you understand what such markings mean from both experiences, what doors it can open."

Michael did, very much. Of course, apparently here in Akiba just having the guild tag _Log Horizon_ was enough to do that. But the People of the Land couldn't read those. Not that very many people would understand guild awards either, unless they were specifically told, or witnessed for themselves why or what it meant. "In the military, such things are used for the members of the military themselves to understand it. The general citizen usually hasn't got a clue."

"True," she turned her head and smiled at him. "You might be wearing a single shiny silver bar, but that doesn't mean I have any idea if that's low or high ranking. However, in this case, it's rather the same. I want to give it so _I_ can see the sparkly thing and be proud, and hope the person I've given it to is proud also."

Michael did laugh at that. "You just like sparkly things, is it?" he teased her. "That sounds very cat like." Suddenly she was holding something out for him. It was white, narrow, and folded. "Eh? What's this?" he took it from her hand and held it out. He blinked at it, then looked back at her.

"Put it on. You've already earned it, as I said, and not for anything you've done here. I believe it still counts, however, even if only you and I know what it means. That was effort you put in and kind recognition you earned. There's no sense in letting it languish when in this place it still has significance. I need you here in that position anyway - _Master_ Michael."

Michael's heart was actually rather full. To earn the highest awards of the group they had belonged to on Earth was really rather a significant achievement and those who did held the event, and the title and it's heraldic devices rather sacred to some degree within their hearts at least. He nodded slightly, swallowed, and slipped the leather baldric over his head, settling it familiarly on his right shoulder. He adjusted the size of it at his waist on the left side. It was a bit stiff, being newly made, but that would work out eventually.

"I've not got chain, nor the other regalia. If you want that, please speak with my blacksmiths. The first I'll cover the costs for, but you'll pay for any extras."

"Thank you, Lady Purrcy," he said respectfully. He couldn't help rubbing a hand on his baldric. He'd decide on the other things later. Bringing himself back to the present, he asked, "What sparkly thing were you thinking of awarding?"

"I'd like to at least give everyone a badge, if you will. Pin or otherwise. Specifically, I'd like to give them all their wings back." She looked at him with eyes that understood and he looked at her in surprise that she would. "I can't give the Naval Wings, of course, but because I can fly, too, I'd like to give them ones that represent us. Either a cat head in the middle with wings to either side, or the paw print that is more my signature, with wings on either side. I was thinking if they were all your squires, we could go with the chain, but then it becomes a medallion, so it might be confusing. Or we could go with the fabric badge, though for this purpose I'm not sure it works as well. Or we could just go for the understated pin on the collar point. The other side would also get a pin, though."

He raised an eyebrow at her. She looked away, not answering that just yet. They were leaving the market place now and nearing the gate to the city. The field they were headed for was outside the city. He decided to pay a little closer attention to their surroundings for a bit. People of the Land spies tended to congregate more here than among the press of people in the market. Their guard duty for the day also closed in just a bit.

Nyanta was on Purrcy's other side and Tetorō and Marielle were following behind since they'd come from the Academy ceremony. There were more like eight Eagles with them this time because of the numbers of people they were walking through. The sub-guild wasn't on duty otherwise today, except the eight on Shiroe who was coming with Akatsuki and Naotsugu from another location. The junior officers were also supposed to be freeing themselves up to come, but Tetorō had apparently given them orders before this little grouping had left the stage so weren't with them yet. "I would think for the badge, just a fieldless pawprint, or if you wanted fancy, the pawprint surrounded with roses."

"Well...roses...I wonder. That's what I've been trying to decide. That was specific to there. We'd get called on copyright or trademark if we did it there. If we made it back, I'd like them to be able to wear it still, at least hopefully somewhat legally. I'm not sure how much variability to put into it. There are only so many variations." She sighed. "I'd like to have it in place by the wedding just because we need to set the precedent in front of the nobles of the land right away. Shiroe and I both believe it's necessary, like we did this morning in front of the Adventurers."

"Really? He'll be that dramatic there, too?" Michael had actually been surprised they'd gone all the way to full open disclosure at the joint conference that morning.

Purrcy nodded. "Yes. Otherwise we wouldn't have started out that way at Water Maple, and he wouldn't have bothered to invite the Duke to the wedding." She sighed. "It's rather obvious in the wedding outfit, actually, but maybe you've seen it. It rather screams it out in a way I wish it didn't. It's not even appropriate. As you say, he's being rather dramatic about it." She looked sideways at him. "You do know that he's claiming I'm an Empress, not just a Queen, with that outfit, right? I'd like to lay him over my knee and take a switch to him for it."

Michael turned to hide his laugh, though it was somewhat audible. It helped that Tetorō's laugh was louder. "But...it's very beautiful, Purrcy," Marielle countered. "You look lovely in it."

Purrcy turned a withering look on her. "Marie, I'm not contesting his ability to understand what a person will look good in and what beauty is. I'm contesting his common sense and rationality in this specific case as to the era and the headgear. He bald-faced lied, really, when it comes down to it. That isn't 'fairy queen' at all. It's fanciful, glorified Tang Empress Wu Zetian, based off the costumes from the movie and the TV show, so not even historically accurate. Even if it does dress me up to look like what he sees in his head when he looks at me, it isn't right. And the headgear is more a lampshade, for all they did try to get it to look nice. I'll likely have a headache before we even get started. How it's supposed to fit with my ears, I have no idea." Michael noticed Nyanta's ears were turning a bit more than normal and he'd tensed up a bit. They hadn't let the men see it yet, other than the two guards who'd gotten her into the room - and Shiroe, of course.

"Anyway," she turned back to Michael, completely dropping the complaints rather suddenly, "if we're going to set things correctly in the minds of the guests, particularly the nobles of Eastal, we need to have all the costumes properly done. In order to do that, we need to have the ceremony - which Tetorō is trying to get everything ready for. But we're going at it backwards because we haven't even decided yet what the proper heraldry is to begin with. It would be nice to be able to do it after today's event when we're all together, but there are a few other people we need to have present, and I haven't even got it all worked out yet for them either. You aren't the only sub-guild, or household, I need to bring in. If we can get the precedent set for you, I'll have a better idea for what to do for them."

She waved a hand at the trees they were passing on the path to the fighting field. "At least you've already got your peerage. I'll have to peer their heads also, and don't know how to mark that either." She turned her head just enough to order Tetorō. "Contact Rudy. Tell him I need him next to me ten minutes ago."

Tetorō sighed. "Chat?"

Her tail and ears twitched irritably. "You do it, and bring him up to speed, then have him contact me so he can follow my questions. The problem is, that then Michael won't be easily involved."

Tetorō cleared his throat. "Michael, is that enough for you to get started?"

"Yes, I think so," he answered calmly.

"Nyanta, please chase her to the stands and around the field five times. We might be ready to sit after that," Tetorō requested.

Marielle looked surprised, and so did Purrcy, but Nyanta gave Purrcy a serious warning look and reached out a threatening paw for her. She jumped back out of reach then they were both large cats and running full out, Nyanta very closely behind Purrcy, who was just slightly fur-fluffed-out in her sudden panic. The guards took off after them as they turned in towards the trees to get away from people generally (in the case of Nyanta) and to escape (in the case of Purrcy). As they receded into the distance Tetorō sighed in relief and ran his hand through his hair. Michael paused just long enough for the other two to draw level to him and the three walked along in peaceful silence for a bit.

"She's very wired today," Michael commented casually. "I understand you expected it, though?"

Tetorō nodded. "I've been taking on as much as I can today. We'll still have to wear her out this evening, though, and make her sleep early. Shiroe's said he'll cast a sleeping spell on her if necessary...and I think it will be. Once she's out, she'll probably sleep soundly for a long time."

"She's been working overdrive since she got here and even double that for the last two days. I'm having to heal her HP up every twenty minutes today, and it was every thirty yesterday. I can only see about a fifth of what she's creating, too, so she's working at least at micro levels, and maybe now with the new Class upgrade she's at nano levels." His brow furrowed. "I really hope not, though. That really is too much work to be doing. One trillion times more effort than a normal person is insane."

"Well...she does still have to communicate with us. That pulls her out of even the micro levels or she loses the train of thought and the sentences. It's hard enough to keep up with syllables at milli levels." Michael wasn't sure it was possible.

Tetorō blew a breath. "I know, but I think she's been learning how to handle that," he looked at Michael still worried. "I think she's recording it at normal speeds, then replaying it at micro or nano speed. She only comes out to normal speed to reply. My suspicion is that she won't chat because it's internal enough she can't do both recording and the chat link at the same time."

Michael was frowning himself now. Tetorō had a point. "That isn't good at all Tetorō. If it's micro, she's not getting any rest. If it's nano she's tearing herself apart."

Tetorō nodded glumly. "I know, but I can't confirm it so I don't know how to get her to quit. Making her run is all I could think of to get her attention away from it, though it's the oddest thing to think of extreme physical activity as being more relaxing."

"Well...I understand it, but that's because military gets trained to it, in the same sort of gruesome way." Tetorō gave Michael a sympathetic look and he shrugged. "How far have you gotten on the court?"

With a wave of a hand, Tetorō answered, "Other than her current concern to you, we're good to go. I've picked up on everyone she wants there and they'll be there, with the stuff she has already ordered to be made, but anything else decided will have to come after, or be part of the illusion. She wants them physically made, but the illusion will be fine, since the guard's uniforms are as well."

"Well...for now. An illusionary reward isn't really a reward at all, you know," Michael scolded slightly.

"Ah...right," Tetorō was sheepish. "Well," he looked after Purrcy and Nyanta, "I think it's time we showed her the other thing you've been preparing. I'll write the speed limiter while you have them pull her in. Protect me, eh?"

"Yup. I'm in agreement. I'll get the squad started. Give Nyanta the map." Michael took Marielle's arm. "What a beautiful woman to escort. You'll see I don't run into a tree, please?"

Tetorō took her other arm. "We'll keep walking, if you'll keep us from falling down. If it takes too long, just halt us under some tree before we get public."

Marielle shook her head. "I guess it's good I'm with you, quite by accident. I'll keep watch on your HP, too."

They both gave her happy grins. "Thanks, Marie!" "Couldn't have asked for anything more." Their bodies set to "walk" and "stay with Marie", they dropped into the code realm.


	13. Enforced Restraints

"Nyanta," it was Tetorō, "here's a map of the area. This is Purrcy, and by extension, you," a yellow dot blinked to catch his attention on the map screen of his status windows. There was a grey dot as well and he moved to cut Purrcy off so she had to start heading that way. "Yup. Thanks."

"Purrpose?" Nyanta asked, putting on an extra burst of speed to make Purrcy leap ahead that direction a little more. They were in the trees so most of his attention was on his chase.

"Time to collar the cat and put on an internal leash. She's killing herself." It was wry. "She's not been in a physical body too long and forgotten how to take care of herself."

"Seen it," he said and cut the chat so he could push her harder. She was trying to break free of his herding and the body needed a little more help from the brain. He lept left just after her right feint and she almost ran into him, dropping down a branch in her surprise. Things got really serious after that. He managed to keep her general direction headed where Tetorō wanted it to be, then she hid behind a tree trunk and her yellow dot fuzzed, sputtered, and started to look like it was going right, but then was suddenly very firmly left. He went that way, since he heard her growl of frustration from that direction, too. It was nice to know he had one of the Hackers protecting his map from her, even if it wasn't absolutely required.

She tried to move the final marker next, but that was shut down even faster. At the same time she jumped up two branches and flipped around as she did so, running back over his head in the direction they'd come from. He growled and slid to a stop, turning around as he did so. The map change had been a feint as well, this time. He ran to the left to get her to turn back the correct direction once he caught up to her and pushed again.

He was far enough behind that when she ran into the barrier he could account for it and not run into it himself. She was herded by barriers, with him keeping her running, until she was turned back around again. By smell, it was the eight who'd been with them in town. They were the back door and were keeping it locked. That was just as helpful. Together, they were able to streamline the trajectory a little better. Once she'd tested the outer physical barriers, he moved in and played tag as if he were using the rapiers, tapping her on the head or the sides to keep her distracted and moving. He was quite certain that now she was limited in her range, and had a rapidly shortening distance to capture, she would be focusing more on the internal coding as a method to escape. Any distraction from that he could offer would be helpful.

They were nearing the grey dot when she suddenly turned and attacked as he was coming in for another tag. He blinked as he pulled his paw in to escape the teeth trying to close around it. He was a bit surprised she was so determined. He hissed at her and her ears flattened. "Grrrr...sry. 'S just Mike's not letting me get to 'im. ...Frustrated."

"No reason to bite," he scolded.

"Fly," she spit at him and took off again.

 _Mmm...no touching, is it._ "Take her to ground," he said calmly. He didn't touch any more, but he did stay high and push her down the trees towards the ground. His aids helped on either side. He could see her shaking with further frustration. Suddenly there were zips of light that flashed towards the eight who were with them. He landed on her rump with a harder pounce as the lights all bounced back. He ignored them. They wouldn't hurt him. They didn't hurt her either since she knew how to handle that kind of defense. After that, zips of light came from around them to her as the alternative distraction to him attacking her.

Watching her, he could tell when she crossed over into despair. "Go to ground, Purrcy," he ordered. She shook her head as if trying to dislodge a cloud of mosquitoes. "Now, Purrcy," he ordered again, moving to close the distance again. They'd be a little off the mark, but it was close enough. She wouldn't go completely wild if they let her have the margin.

Her front paw slipped and she was falling off the branch. He jumped after her and the guards moved in as well to keep her penned in. They weren't the only ones, though. Pretty much the entire sub-guild was there as well. She didn't hit the ground. They'd caught her in a sticky spider-web net. Nyanta wouldn't have been surprised to have learned they'd also planned the gray dot to be off for the same reason he had in an early end.

Nyanta also landed in the net, but he could walk, though it was bouncier than the branches. He padded over to Purrcy, where she lay on her side, panting shallowly, paws twitching still. Suddenly the area was overlaid with the code realm and he could see she really still wasn't done, as he'd suspected. Once the requirement to watch over the body was gone the brain could go into full effect. He blinked to settle the visuals together, though it wasn't new now, and sat down next to her body.

There was a little light zipping around the clearing, but every time it tried to work it's way out, it was blocked and then bounced back in. Slowly the boundaries of the shielding were shrinking. Every once in awhile the light would blink out, but then would suddenly be present again. "Damn it!" Nyanta's ears twitched in a bit of pain, though the sound had been internal, not external. "When the hell did you two learn to do that?"

"Glad you appreciate our hard work," Michael's voice came back. "We didn't particularly like failing the last test, you know."

Suddenly it wasn't a tiny light in the middle of the area, it was medium-sized cat Purrcy, sitting on her haunches and floating above the center of the netting. Her tail was lashing in extreme irritation and frustration. She looked around at the shields still closing in, then looked at a spot upwards and to her right. Nyanta focused there and could just make out what was probably Michael. Purrcy gave a short hiss of frustration, then she sat quietly.

"Ah, no, I don't think so," Michael said. "Hit her hard. She's writing up the finalé to take Tetorō out." Nyanta pulled up her status and monitored that as magic and status effect attacks flew her way. Her HP dropped a bit, then she glowed brightly.

"Stop!" he called. "She's converting it and eating it." Her HP had suddenly started to rise. "Mew didn't hear her talk about the Vampire."

Swearing came from the trees nearby and the attacks stopped.

"Move in," Michael's calm voice ordered. Nyanta tensed. He wasn't sure he wanted to stand by and watch the next level of attack, but he forced himself to. He would have to live with it if she was going to push it this far, and he wanted to know what Michael had planned. The light fighters swarmed her and she ignored them. After about a minute he figured out the pattern. They were attacking with very light blows, to only do one to five points of damage, then randomly there'd be one that did fifteen to twenty that would rock her and break her out of her focus.

"Why slowly?" he asked.

"She can still code at 1HP, and if we Cathedral her she'll escape," Michael's answer came back. "Not my preferred method, actually, but when we're left with only physical to resort to..."

Nyanta nodded. "Is he close?"

"Yes. That's why she doesn't care."

Nyanta moved, interrupting the physical attacks. He put his paw on her head and patted it firmly as if knocking on a door until suddenly the glowing Purrcy in the air wasn't there any more. "That's enough. Mew might have meowr reasons for wanting it that bad, but if Tetorō-kun and Michael both disagree, then meowr wrong. Relent. Mew can appeal to Shiroe-ichi after the fact."

Purrcy opened one eye a slit at him, the usual film of being between realms on them. "Nyanta," she complained at him, then suddenly there was a fast moving blue light in the code realm that zipped through the shields around her and slammed into her. She drew in a sharp breath and stiffened.

Nyanta pet her head. "Purrcy. Let him do his work, nya." She whimpered.

"Hahaue," Tetorō's voice came next. "I won't cut you off, but you have to shut them down. I'll follow you back in."

"And don't weasel out of it either," Michael ordered. "Clean up promptly and get back here."

There was suddenly an amazing network of very fine lights around them that all centered on Purrcy. They were rather dazzling even for their fineness, mostly golden in color, but some were in blues and greens and whites and there were a few that were dark black as well. "Damn, woman. You're going to die of coronary overload with this many," Michael complained.

"Anything smaller than micro, Hahaue. No more nano's allowed," Tetorō said firmly. Purrcy moaned, then slowly the glow in the area began to lessen. It didn't even look like any lines were being removed, just like the spaces between were having the light erased from them. In a few instances, new lines were created in those spaces instead.

"Can you show the speedometer here, Tetorō?" Michael asked.

"Yeah," Tetorō's voice was now sounding from over Nyanta's head instead of echoing from a distance. A semicircular meter, like what would be in a car, appeared in the center of the area, where her image had been before. It had three markers on it at each quarter point. The needle was still beyond the three-quarter mark, but falling towards it. It stopped moving at a few ticks above it. They waited for a bit, then Tetorō warned her, "Purrcy, that's not enough."

"I need the one-tenth nano, Tetorō." Purrcy replied.

"No, I don't think so," he answered. A red light glowed over her and on the meter. "I've tuned it for whatever level you're at. If this is where you need to work in emergencies, then I'll set that as the emergency level. You'll feel the pain there but be able to get just enough done to get back out before passing out. Above this level you will pass out. The lower you drop the longer you can work, but it's a progressive build-up to keep you from working too long at the higher levels without resting." A collar appeared on Purrcy's neck near Nyanta's paw. It had on it a series of four glowing gems, all of them red at the moment. "Nyanta, that will let you have a visual that's tied to the meter." He flicked an ear of understanding.

Purrcy was starting to whimper again. Slowly the remaining glow of the finest of lines began to fade out and more visible thin lines appeared. The needle on the meter finally dropped to rest at the three-quarter mark and one of the gems on the collar stopped glowing. Purrcy panted for a bit. "Give her a minor HP up," Tetorō requested. One of the guards cast a low-level healing spell on her.

"Okay, Hahaue, now clean some of these up, too. You're still doing too much. Put them back on your to-do list. You don't have to be doing everything all at once, just because it's possible for you. I want to see the meter go to half next, and if you really want to have the rest of the afternoon to see things around here, you'll go to a quarter. I only want to see it going over a quarter when you're on the porch in Nyanta's lap. You need to be living life with the rest of us out here, not overworking your body while ignoring it." Michael growled in agreement and Nyanta tapped her head sharply, also in complete agreement.

She shuddered and her ears went back unhappily, but slowly and obediently the lines began to be cleaned up. Some disappeared, some changed sizes, and some remained but went to a clear blue as if they weren't being fed energy any longer. The meter didn't move, but a second meter showed up above it, and that one was dropping. "This is the odometer - the one showing how much she's doing," Tetorō explained. As it dropped, the color on the remaining three glowing gems of the collar began to drop from red through the spectrum to orange, then to yellow when the odometer reached half. It dropped a little further, then paused again, the lights on the collar just a shade greener than yellow.

Purrcy took a shuddering breath, then rolled and tried to sit up. Nyanta held her down, to keep her lying down at least. "You can give her a medium boost," Tetorō said. "She's going to need more to get the rest down to where I want it."

Purrcy tensed under Nyanta's paw. "Wait," he ordered the mage preparing the spell. He bent down and captured the closest ear in his teeth with just enough pressure to make his point without biting through. Purrcy froze, then whimpered again and relaxed, giving up. Her shivers of tears started then. He released her ear and licked it a few times. "Okay," he said and the glow of healing surrounded her. Much slower this time, things began to turn off. It looked like it was hard for her to choose what to let go until later. Most of the lines merely turned to blue ones, and this time, many of them had packets of light flash along them until the once solidly lit area was looking more like an area of traffic.

The image of Tetorō was nodding. "That'll work, if you can get it low enough," he praised Purrcy. She took another shuddering breath, and a few more lines winked out to just packet lines, though they had more bursts along them, often double bursts with a pause for a double burst to go down another line. "You are setting them for automatic, right?" he asked her.

She nodded under Nyanta's paw. "She says yes," he answered for her. His eyes went to the odometer again. It was nearing a quarter. "What is zero on that one? Sleep or death?"

"You mean normal brain activity and none?" Tetorō asked.

"Mm," Nyanta affirmed.

"Well...it's hard to gauge normal brain activity for Purrcy, so I've made it none. She'll never hit it, of course. The lights will all go out if that happens. You'll always have a bit of a glow, I'm afraid. Hope that doesn't disturb your sleep. I've tried to make it a dark enough indigo to not be too bad at night." The level of work being done stopped short of a quarter and she sighed. "Drop the speed down from micro and you'll drop the overall and I'll be satisfied," he said to her.

An ear wiggled in irritation, but she otherwise stayed obedient and after a bit the first meter began to drop as several thin lines expanded to become slightly larger ones. The gem next to the one that had gone out dimmed slightly, though didn't change in color from the yellow-tinted green they had all become. The two meters in the air merged into a semi-circular bubble of the same color. "This is what the actual thing looks like to me. Between the two, I want that to stay a green when you're living life like you're supposed to. When you're working it can go to yellow, but it should only go to orange if we're in battle or you've got something really important you're working on. Red is for emergencies only and it will hurt. You'll keep Nyanta awake at night if you're working instead of sleeping. I'll properly let him handle whether that's allowed or not, but for the next week it's not. You need to relearn how to live in your body again first."

"I've got spells that are continuous, though, even when sleeping," Purrcy finally spoke again.

"Show us that level," Tetorō ordered mildly. There was a bit of tweaking on the lights glowing and then everything settled to a blue glow, including the meter and the collar, with a few golden flashes of packets flashing down certain pathways on a regular pattern. "Can you learn to sleep to that level of blue?" Tetorō asked Nyanta.

"Purrobably. She won't be able to hide at night anymore from predators, though," he commented.

Tetorō's image shrugged. "Don't care. She's high enough level to kill in one blow if anything does decide to interrupt her sleep, and grumpy enough to do it when suddenly woken up. I'm surprised you think she still has predators. ...Other than you."

Nyanta flicked an ear and his tail in irritation. "And other high level Hackers and Overwrittens."

"Which are rare enough that they should be tempted into the widow's lair to have their heads chomped off," Tetorō argued.

Nyanta relented. "Fine. But I'd rather have the ability to turn it off temporarily in an emergency."

Tetorō paused. "I'll work on a voice activated override for you, if I can figure out something secure enough."

"She's really going to be good enough to not take it off herself eventually?" Michael asked dryly.

Tetorō paused in surprise and Nyanta's paw tightened down on Purrcy's head in reaction to his own tension. She shrank away from him and shuddered. "For now, it's okay," he said quietly and they let it drop. He ran his paw down her full length and the lights returned to green on her collar, the lights in the area along the channels returning to golden again, then going out as the code realm overlay disappeared along with the images of Michael and Tetorō. He looked around at the guards. "Well done. If the world hasn't awarded mew another level increase for that, it should," he congratulated them. He looked down at Purrcy, confirming the gemstones on the collar one more time. "Let's go," he said.

As Purrcy rose to follow him, he said as he passed her, "I also wish to marry my wife tomorrow, not a corpse."

"I'm sorry, Nyanta," she said quietly, her head held low. He twitched an ear at her but continued to lead her off the netting. He wondered a bit as to where they were and curiously looked to see if his map was still present, since there wasn't supposed to be a map for the outer areas. It was still there, and Purrcy was still a yellow dot on it. The grey dot was gone, but the clearing where the fighting guilds practiced was obvious. He was rather pleased to still have the map, though he had no idea how long it would remain. He got them going the right direction, but kept them on the ground, and the sub-guild stayed with them.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō, Michael, and Marielle met Nyanta and Purrcy where they came out of the woods at the edge of the fighting field. The Eagles passed them by and headed over to the place they would start their part of the late afternoon's activity. Their little group of officers walked over to the main gathering area. Shiroe and the rest were already there, saving seats on the observation stand, but not actually sitting in them yet, as they were conversing with other top brass who were gathered there. Shiroe stepped away to greet them quietly, Naotsugu close by his side. Shiroe looked at Purrcy's necklace with his piercing eyes, then into hers. She dropped her eyes, then bowed. "I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"Even I don't want you to push that hard, Purrcy," he answered just as quietly. "Please take better care of yourself."

"Yes, Heika," she answered humbly, rising to look him in the eyes again, and speaking quietly enough to not be heard by outsiders.

Shiroe looked at Nyanta and he nodded. Shiroe held out his elbow and Purrcy took it, then was in her more formal clothing for the day. The necklace was hidden by the collar of the blouse, however. It suddenly became two earrings, glowing greenly. Shiroe looked at it and shook his head and pointed to the top of his head. Purrcy's whiskers drooped and her eyes fell as well as the earrings became a small tiara on her head. With a little fine tuning to meet Shiroe's perfectionism, he finally nodded. Marielle cast a small HP spell on Tetorō and the group was ready to move into the public eye again.

Purrcy couldn't move and was shivering. Shiroe waited. It was Michael who stepped up in front of her, his arms folded. He waited until she opened her eyes, keeping his face impassive. "Lady Purrcy, you have waited for this moment for a long time. Take a deep breath and remember why. It isn't new." Her ears turned to focus on Michael and in taking her first breath, the shivering stopped. With a few more breaths, she was able to recover enough to stand tense. Michael pursed his lips. "Find the grace that befits the Queen of Love and Beauty." In one more breath, then another half, she had relaxed into the Queen. She took one more long, deep breath, one slow long blink and her eyes focused on his. He took a more formal stance and bowed a partial bow and looked at her again. She nodded graciously at him. He looked at her a bit more, then bowed to Shiroe and stepped aside.

They arrived at the waiting group conversing pleasantly. She never let go of Shiroe and he kept her with him the whole time of the waiting for the two military groups to finish their preparations. When Rieze called for the beginning, they walked together back to the viewing stand where Nyanta sat next to her and Akatsuki next to Shiroe. The rest filled in in their usual pattern, though the places to their sides were left open for Duke Sergiad to sit on the other side of Nyanta with Iselius next to him, then Isaac. The rest of the Cowen family sat around the Duke and his heir, and the other Akiba guildmasters who'd come just past them. On Shiroe's side, next to Akatsuki, sat Nakalnad, then Kazuhiko. The other members of the Minami group that had come with them sat around them.

"Well, while I'm not hoping for a repeat of the first time sitting in a stand to watch a demonstration, I certainly feel safe in this one," Isaac said dryly.

"While I appreciate the vote of confidence, Isaac," Purrcy said calmly, "you again assume I'm capable of more than a single person can do. Everyone working together is what makes things happen, or makes things properly safe. I would hope you would do your part as well."

"From the perspective of a student," Tetorō said wryly, "she's more likely to do nothing and watch what we'll do for ourselves, then step in only if we're already almost dead, except the People of the Land, who she'll protect so severely they won't even know we were under attack to begin with. They'll only see the rest of us pass out and wonder what happened."

"If I waited that long, I would have to be strong enough on my own," she scolded back. "I much prefer to see what we can all do together, as I said. Though...I do hope we can just observe this time. I'm rather done from the previous demonstration."

Rieze stepped out in front and gave a sign and the watchers settled down and watched as the warriors of D.D.D took up positions in the middle of the field. "We've been rehearsing how to protect the city from a future attack that contains the normal complement of party members, but includes a Hacker in each party. Each time we run this battle, it's different because Hackers in particular change every time. Of all the types of magic users they have the most flexibility and the greatest adaptability. We've chosen to practice this way with them to increase our own flexibility and adaptability. It's keeping us young," she said wryly and the audience chuckled slightly.

"Most of the time we only stay ahead of them because they are still of moderate level, though I noticed they've all shown up another level higher yet again. I'm not sure where they found a high level raid boss to fight this time so close to town, but sometimes I wish they'd stop." Purrcy nodded her head in agreement with that one, but everyone else who knew stayed bland. "So, we'll demonstrate what we've been learning. Maybe you'll learn something along with us." She turned and walked to her position on the field.

Kazuhiko turned to Michael, sitting behind Purrcy. "You don't go out with them?" he asked.

Michael raised an eyebrow. "No. I'm a teacher at the Academy. They've been doing this while I'm there."

"I thought you brought them here from Minami. Weren't they from the Special's section?"

"They did come from there, yes," he answered politely. "They were traumatized enough they didn't want to stay in Minami any longer. The Akiba guildmasters had arrived by the time I released them, so I presume they asked to be able to leave with them when they went."

All the guildmasters eyes turned to Shiroe to accuse him, but just then there was a burst of light from the center of the field and a concussive shock wave passed over the people on the field and rushed towards the stand. Every magic user on the stand instinctively threw up shields to prevent the shock from hitting them. "Excellent work everyone," Purrcy praised the observers. They didn't respond - they were watching the field.

The sudden intense attack took the Adventurers on the field down by half HP and a number had the status effect of minuses to attack precision, meaning their attacks had a higher percent chance to miss the intended target. "Effective," Isaac murmured. "That's hard to defend from."

Suddenly, the attackers rose up directly in front of targets on the field, their arrival on the field unseen because of the flash of light and the corresponding brief moment of blindness and being stunned. Anchoring spells went off as 'enemy' Guardians and Samurai cast, but instead of general attacks, the sorcerers and attack class enemies focused on the D.D.D. healers and Enchanters, taking them down as fast as they could.

"Ouch," Nakalnad commented. Kazuhiko nodded in agreement. The defending Guardians and Samurai were unable to get off the same anchoring spells since they were already negated by being the second to go. So...instead, they whaled on the warrior Classes that had them pinned down. The defending attack classes who had been captured by those same spells did the same trying to get the enemy warriors down as soon as possible. They knew that the faster they could get them taken down, the better, though their health points were now nearly equal.

Rieze called out and any unanchored warrior or magic user went to the aid of the healing classes who were under attack. However, the observers were intrigued to see that they hadn't been idle either. The attackers were losing HP even before rescuers came along. Purrcy was sitting upright, excited and she was nodding. "They've fought this tactic before, then," she said. "I wonder what will be different about it this time?"

"What are they doing?" Sergiad asked.

Tetorō answered. "The healers work with the health levels of the Adventurers. Typically that means they increase it for their allies using their magic spells. In this case, they've turned it backwards and are taking HP from the enemies who've arrived to attack them and are replacing their own with it...though...now that they have allies they are also feeding some of it to them, it looks like. So they've turned their own spells from recovery and defensive ones into offensive ones."

"Is that even possible?" Nakalnad asked.

"Apparently," Kazuhiko waved his hand at the field. "Hard to refute the evidence in front of us."

Nakalnad shook his head. "That's rather evil." Kazuhiko nodded agreement.

On some signal, every enemy warrior Class anchor cast their full damage reduction shielding spell. At the same moment, colored lights streaked down over the defenders that were attacking those same warriors, slamming into them from above. Those with shields raised them to protect themselves and those who had defensive magics put up magic shields over those without physical shields - those who weren't otherwise engaged, that is. And those who were, disengaged themselves as quickly as they could, but they didn't cast on those around the anchors. Instead, they cast around themselves and those around them. It wasn't too soon as a second volley rained down on everyone. This time, though, they were seeker spells that zipped around and under the shields. At that, there was some swearing from the field but swords and staves were used to beat the lights off.

"The lights are Hacker spells," Tetorō explained to Sergiad. "The defenders have up a spell that shows where and what they are, or they wouldn't know what was hitting them and when. That was one of the first spells we created when the Hacker known as the Plague Master attacked Akiba, so we could see his attacks and defend from them. It's probably the single most useful spell in these kinds of battles there are. Sadly, it's outdated and I need to teach the newer one. Should have thought of that before now. I'll have to apologize to Rieze. She'll kill me."

Suddenly there were other colored lights on the field. "Check that," Tetorō said in surprise, "they've already learned it. ...Oh, right. They watched the attack that brought the new changes on." He glanced at Purrcy, but she was watching the field carefully still. "Those are higher level spells that on their own don't attack. They are the precursors to attacks, however, so are important to know about if they're around." He sighed and put his chin in his hand. "They're planning on taking the healers out in one, it looks like."

"This is probably the newest change to this part of the strategy," Purrcy nodded.

Rieze had called out a defensive order when the new lights had shown up. Now from those lights, which were a golden brown, bright yellow lights appeared and lept at great speed directly for the healers that were being pointed at. A few were taken down by half of their current level, shielding spells having been set up fast enough. Those that were still as yet unprotected were Cathedraled. "That was powerful," Naotsugu said appreciatively. "Did they create that one early, then?"

"Probably," Michael said musingly, his chin in his hand also as he watched.

"Where did D.D.D.'s Assassins go?" Akatsuki asked suddenly. "They had four on the field and they're gone."

"Did they get tied down by the anchors?" Naotsugu asked her.

"I think some did."

"That would have hurt, then," Naotsugu said. Akatsuki nodded agreement.

"Potions," Purrcy said without much focus. "Akatsuki, your timing's good. They've just reached the Hackers hiding in the woods."

Akatsuki nodded. "I trained with D.D.D. also."

Purrcy nodded back. "The problem is, all the Eagles' Assassins are there, too." She had her lips parted just enough to show her sharp teeth. "I wonder if they've done this maneuver before, too."

"It wouldn't be surprising," Shiroe said calmly. "I would have used them early on after getting irritated, like the second or third battle."

"Mmm," Purrcy commented. "Oh. Two on one, but not much else they could have done. D.D.D.'s Assassins are going down fairly quickly that way. ...Two down...a Hacker down...and his corresponding D.D.D. Assassin...which freed up the Eagle Assassin to go help another group...hmmm...Everyone shield your eyes again. Shockwave shields up again, too, please." One second later the first attack went off again, the same as before. Half of the D.D.D. weapons Classes went down and almost all of the healers and magic users. The Eagle anchors' full protection spells ended right at the end of that explosion and they were taking out the rest of the weapons classes in front of them, one after another. The lighter weapons classes were taking out the remaining healers and magic Classes and in less than another three minutes it was over.

"That was well timed," Purrcy said. Shiroe nodded as did several others. "I'd like to hear a briefing on it from Rieze as to what was new and what was expected." Tetorō was calling Rieze immediately to request it, telling her they'd wait for her to get back to the field. She'd gone down in the second explosion.

"Why didn't the attackers go down with those explosions, too?" Iselius asked.

"Magic attacks don't affect your own side," Sergiad answered him.

"Technically, Hacker attacks can," Purrcy corrected him slightly. "We have to specify who the attack will hit. In this case they could have said it would affect only D.D.D. guild members, or that it wouldn't affect anyone with the guild-tag Log Horizon. They could also have specified a range of effect. If they did that, then we shielded ourselves for no reason, but it's better to be safe than sorry, since we can't know what the criteria was. Actually, any new spell has to have that limitation added or it will automatically affect everyone in the full range the level of the caster can affect. I need to see if Rieze's magic users know that about the reverse spells they were casting. They may have learned that one the hard way."

"Sucking out their own people's HP would have been bad," Isaac agreed.

They continued to discuss the battle until Rieze arrived, and then they pumped her for as much information as she could give. She had questions for Purrcy, Michael, and Tetorō in turn. For the general populace that had come to watch, it had been entertaining. For the leaders, it was an educational session.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy sighed in relief as Nyanta was finally allowed to escort her away from the public eye. Everyone else was going, too, but she was weary enough now to not really be paying much attention to anything other than the arm she was holding and her legs, to keep them walking. It was an odd feeling to have her brain at such loose ends, but it felt like the exhaustion of her body had seeped up into her brain to fill the void that had been left when the activity had been shut down. She leaned her head on Nyanta's shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Sleepy?" he asked. She nodded her head. "Come on up, then." His voice was kind and gentle in her ears. He wrapped his arm around her and as she shrank, he curled her into him until he was holding her in his arm. She was asleep before she finished getting to kitten size, but he didn't wake her up to complain - at least not that she remembered. She had strange dreams as she slept, most of which swirled and disappeared, but made her restless until she was pacing down a hall, her tail moving restlessly, as restless as she was feeling inside. She wanted away from the feeling, so she began to run down the long hall until she was running through a woods, the trees close.

In the dark between the trunks, monsters lurked. For a time, they merely observed her flight, but then one left the branch of a tree she passed and took flight to follow behind her in her blind spot. Another from the left also took flight as she passed to join the first and soon enough many were following her, making her go where they wanted her to go. She growled in frustration and lept for a low branch on a tree in front of her until she was running up the branches as if up tall natural stairs until she was high above the forest floor. The monsters were still chasing her but were falling behind. She broke from the canopy and could see that in front of her the forest ended at a half-mile tall drop off.

As she slowed, the cry of the flying monsters behind her sounded the call she'd been seen. She knew they were closing in. Rather than halt at the end of the trees, she ran on, leaping strongly from the final branch, using the spring to launch even higher and farther. She spread her wings and soared out over the landscape far below her, but a net caught her and she was falling, unable to keep her wings spread enough to stay in flight. She turned enough to see that the flying monsters were now holding the ends of the net that held her and they were flying her back towards the forest. She cried out in distress and struggled to free herself from the net.

"Nyan, nyan," Nyanta's voice said to her, "I don't want to marry a corpse." She whimpered and struggled and she could feel herself being pet. "Is it so bad a nightmare, then?"

Purrcy's eyes popped open. She breathed a deep breath and could feel her heart leaping to a fast, frightened tempo. Her ears were back as flat as they could go and her fur was all pressed tightly to her.

"I think that's the most miserable I've seen Purrcy," Touya said.

"When she was treed," Akatsuki said appraisingly.

"Mmm...it was about the same, to be treed and to be netted, nya?" Nyanta said.

Purrcy nodded, burying her nose in his arm. She focused on getting her breathing and heartbeat back to normal. To calm herself down, she double checked all her internal shields and warning systems and moved five times, then a sixth and seventh before she could settle, and even there, she buried herself deeply.

"It was that bad a nightmare?" Tetorō asked, showing up next to her in the code realm. She turned away from him and buried her nose under her side. In the next instant, she'd put him 'elsewhere'. She put a thick box around herself and fell back to sleep.

-:-:-:-:-

The group walking down the path through the woods stopped suddenly as Tetorō crashed into a tree and stuck there. Minori ran to him and grabbed his arm and tried to pull him from the tree. He fell backwards and Michael leaped forward to grab his shoulders before his head could crash into the ground. Tetorō's eyes were unseeing. "Damn," Michael muttered, laying Tetorō down, "what's she done this time?"

The rest of them waited for about two minutes before Michael came back. He continued to look into Tetorō's eyes. Slowly intelligence returned and he blinked. "I'm glad we partnered before now," Michael said to him.

Tetorō agreed. He slowly put his hand up to his forehead. "Ouch."

"You walked into a tree," Minori said, crouched down next to him still. "Are you okay?"

Tetorō sighed and sat up. He hugged his knee to his chest and put his head on it. "No, not really," he answered. "She threw me so far I was lost and she's buried and boxed in so thick and deep she's not reachable."

"But you know where?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.

Tetorō nodded and closed his eyes. "Over here," he said.

Michael's eyes turned inward. "You're sure?" he asked after a brief pause.

"Yeah. I just hope she remembers it's she who's locked herself in, or we'll lose half that woods."

"Mm," Michael was quiet for a bit, then Tetorō nodded his head.

"That should work," Tetorō said, then sighed again. He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. "Well then," he said brightly, leaping to his feet, "shall we continue on?"

The rest gave him dry looks, knowing he was putting on a front, but he turned away and returned to the path, dragging them with him. Naotsugu took two long strides and grabbed him around the shoulders with one arm and rubbed his knuckles on Tetorō's head. Tetorō ducked out and scowled at him, rubbing his head gently. "Sometimes you gotta do what you've gotta do and not everyone's happy about it," Naotsugu said. "That doesn't mean it was the wrong thing to do."

Tetorō returned to walking, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching up his shoulders. "But I could have handled it better. We didn't even confront her about it and let her fix it herself, first," he admitted.

"So...there was a reason why, then," Naotsugu said knowingly.

Tetorō looked back at Michael. Michael nodded at him. "Because we knew she would deny it and keep doing it anyway. We can't see to those levels so there wasn't a way to confirm she was really taking care of herself."

Tetorō sighed. "Yeah. That."

"And we ran her to ground and forced it because we knew she wouldn't take it politely without changing it to falsify the readings," Michael added. "...Even though that does mean we have to take the consequence after the fact. It helps that the top brass is in agreement."

Tetorō's eyes went a little wild and he looked away and ran his hand through his hair again, then pulled on it. "Well...maybe that makes it a little worse."

"Why?" Shiroe asked.

Tetorō glanced at him. "Because now she doesn't have someone to go complain to. We've all ganged up on her." No one answered to that, but the general feeling was, "oh". He sighed. "That could fester, you know. I'm not happy with that."

"Princess Raynessia," Akatsuki said.

"You really think so?" Tetorō asked after a pause to consider it. Akatsuki nodded a firm knowing nod. "Alright. We'll get her over to Water Maple early tomorrow then, before everyone else gets there. Maybe she'll be settled by the time everyone else gets there."

"Are you going to be able to dig her out in time for the rest of today's activities?" Shiroe asked mildly.

Tetorō and Michael both shrugged. "She's still sleeping it off. We'll have to see." Michael said.

"I'll send a communication request when we're ready, if she hasn't come out on her own by then," Tetorō offered. Shiroe had to be content with that.


	14. A Small Formal Court

It was very quiet when Purrcy woke up. She lifted her head and saw she was in a crystalline box where the light was an ambient white. It was rather calming. She took a breath. That was a little disconcerting. She could actually feel air entering lungs and leaving them again. She closed her eyes and just focused on having lungs and a heart again. It had been a while, so it was still a new concept. That in itself was an odd thought, considering how long she'd been alive compared to how long she'd been a ghost. She sent out a thin testing thread. It didn't make it very far. She opened her eyes again and saw it blocked by the wall. She sighed. Slowly she thinned a small portion of that wall until the thread could escape.

Just outside the wall she put up a mirror to bounce anything that might follow her line back and make it go hunting elsewhere. She burrowed upward until she reached the surface. Another mirror went there and she took another breath before cautiously threading her way into her foxhole. Everything looked correctly in place. She began her usual wake up routine. Start up the history recorder - which started it in all her foxholes so no one would know which one she was actually in - to rewind to when she had last been awake and replay. It was keyed to her own physical body since she'd been back, and was linked to Nyanta, Tetorō, Michael, and Shiroe in case she needed data she didn't have tied to herself. That was mostly for the off-chance she was Cathedraled and would have a gaping hole. Occasionally she used it for other information gathering purposes, but not much, really.

She watched and listened to everything since they'd left the fighting field up to the present, then sighed. An ear turned and the tip of her tail flipped. She supposed she really had earned the collar, as much as she was reluctant to admit it. There was so much to be doing. She put her head down on her paws and let out a sighing breath, feeling sorry for herself. It wasn't really fair to, but it was still depressing. Here she was, working hard for everyone and they wouldn't let her do what she needed to do. Well...at least not to the extent it needed to be done.

There was a polite knocking on the "door" to her foxhole. Her ear pricked forward, but she waited until the "butler" had received the request, tested it, confirmed the sender, and displayed it to the screen without anything else exploding before she looked at it. It was a simple request from Tetorō to please wake up and return for the next activity. She couldn't decide if she was irritated or feeling resigned. From the history, he at least understood why she was was upset. The problem was, she was upset with all of them and that didn't make her in a hurry to get back for whatever their next activity was.

Suddenly there was the oddest sensation and her internal body flipped until she was on her back, her paws in the air. Being connected to her body now was still very strange to get used to. She closed her eyes and returned to it, trying to understand what was going on. When she realized she was feeling her belly being rubbed, she clamped down on the arm with all four paws to get it to stop moving. There was a chuckle and she growled slightly as she tried to get her eyes to pry themselves open. The arm took itself back and her head was being attacked with rubbing. She flipped her body back around, then shook her head. She was suddenly overcome with the need to yawn, her tongue curling to the tension of the pull of the yawn on her jaw. She sat there, trying to finish waking up while her head was pet enough to make her relaxed neck wiggle with the petting. She finally ducked to get out from under the hand. "Shit, Naotsugu. Quit it," she growled at him.

There was a laugh. "I forgot she's as grumpy as you when tired, Chief."

The hand descended again and her front claws pricked out onto the arm that was holding her. The hand chose to grab her and pick her up instead of pet her again. "Now, now, I'm just trying to help you wake up."

"No thanks," she grumbled, blinking her eyes from her undignified location of dangling from between his hands and being stared at in the face. "At least put me down somewhere. This isn't a comfortable position, you know." She was put down on the ground. She looked around at the forest of tall legs around her and up to where the heads were somewhere. She gave up quickly, though, as she started to fall over. That was just too high to look up at the moment. An ear flopped in a funny fold and she blinked sleepily. It was time to go. She rose to her feet and moved, but the legs in front of her shifted. She sat back down, irritated, and grew tall enough she could see who was with her without falling over. The collar almost choked her and she quickly added it into the overall growth pattern, scowling at Tetorō when she caught sight of him. "Fix that," she said to him. "It should have been in your code to begin with."

"Sorry," he said penitently and got to work.

Her eyes continued to scan around, her head turning to upside down as she went the full circuit without moving her body. "God, why is always men? Where's Akatsuki? Even Isuzu and Minori would be acceptable at the moment."

"Ah, here!" Akatsuki jumped into view.

Purrcy rose to her feet again. "Come on, then," she ordered Akatsuki and shouldered her way out of the circle. "We'll be right back." Akatsuki walked stiffly in apprehension next to her as she led the way, following her nose. She paused halfway to her destination to slip behind a bush, but where she could still be seen, to relieve her bladder - another thing she hadn't had to worry about for more than half a year now. Then she continued on until she reached the small stream. She lapped at the water, then shoved her head under the surface and held it there until her lungs screamed for air. She pulled up with a flip of her head and a gasp. She shook her head out, then drank more. Sighing she began grooming, licking up the water droplets running down her back, chest, and shoulders.

There was suddenly a towel on top of her head, then Akatsuki's hands gently rubbing her face and the top of her head to dry them, where she couldn't reach with her tongue. She held still, a little surprised at the thoughtful ministration. She could tell Akatsuki was working herself up to say something, so she worked on holding her own tongue. Finally Akatsuki said, "They know you're working hard for good things. ...But, ...they're also working hard to help you." The towel disappeared and earnest dark eyes looked into hers. "It hurts them, you know."

Purrcy looked her back in the eye, giving nothing away. "And what do you suggest I do about that?"

Akatsuki's eyes fell as she considered her answer, then rose to look into Purrcy's again. "At least, ...admit they're being friends."

Purrcy's ear turned in surprise. She hadn't expected that kind of answer. She considered what that word meant to Akatsuki, not sure she could come to a full comprehension of it. Then she remembered how the Water Maple ladies had been at Shopping District 8 when she'd needed the proper scolding. Her ears relaxed. "Yes, mother," she said.

Akatsuki smiled her small smile and she reached out and pet Purrcy on the head lightly. Purrcy leaned into it slightly, then rose and turned, leading them back by smell the way they'd come. This time Akatsuki left her hand lightly on Purrcy's back between her shoulders, the fingers lightly digging into the soft fur.

Purrcy paused just inside the woods long enough for Akatsuki to release her, then stepped out two steps and sat in her formal pose, watching the grouping of men they had left earlier. She was also waiting for the men in the trees to be still as they gathered up behind her. She'd known they were following the whole time, of course. Men might be quiet to other men, but to an animal with fine senses of smell and hearing, they were rather obvious. When it was quiet in the trees and all eyes were on her, she bowed. "My apologies. I'll do my best to learn to be jointly physically and mentally present again."

Tetorō stepped forward and bowed. "I'm sorry for not explaining it to you openly and giving you the opportunity to choose it on your own, Purrcy," he said.

She wanted to scold, but instead she just tipped her head in acceptance. Their reasoning hadn't been faulty. Besides it was done now, and rather brilliantly, too. She looked at Shiroe. "What's next?" she asked him calmly.

Shiroe gave a small smile and looked to Tetorō. Purrcy looked back to Tetorō. He shifted slightly, then stood up straight and formally. "Because since she has come to Log Horizon Purrcy has enjoyed role playing the Princess and the Queen, because tomorrow is her special day to be the center of attention, and because she has things she wishes to gift those who are special to her, this one has prepared a royal court at which she may gift those things in preparation for tomorrow. Everything is ready and in place. All that is needful is for Purrcy herself to be prepared." He bowed and straightened again, looking slightly nervous.

Purrcy looked at him for a moment, working to rearrange her emotions that were suddenly tangled up and tripping over each other. "Tetorō-domo has worked very hard for such a gift to be presented at the occasion of my wedding." His eyes widened at the honorific. "What must I do to be prepared to receive his gift?" she asked him.

Tetorō blushed slightly, then waved a hand at Michael. "Michael is ready with his suggestions. Hear them first."

Purrcy gave Michael her attention. He cleared his throat. "For now, perhaps the uniform is sufficient for us to be recognized formally and officially as members of Log Horizon. I think it might be appropriate to award the wings as they arrive at being able to create them. For now, that's still only me. It would be a good recognition of the hard work they've gone through to achieve that level of proficiency, and have the same significance it has at home. You already use the paw print pin as a personal commendation. Perhaps you could gift a favor to those who you wish to give a higher level recognition to."

Purrcy considered his recommendations. "Those are acceptably achievable suggestions." She tipped her head at him and added, "And understated enough to not be considered excessively pridefully out of line at this point." He gave an equally wry look to her in agreement. "Let me see what I have that will work," she asked for time and patience, then went looking through her list of treasures until she found a suitable item that could be used to make favors, then found a few more things and modified them, then set the whole of them into an extra sub-box. She opened her eyes and looked at Tetorō. "Those things are ready," she said to him. He nodded and cast a small HP up spell on her.

"I'll be the herald," he said, "since I know what's happening, but so you know beforehand, this is the order I was planning." He proceeded to outline the court. She changed the order of a few people, but otherwise left it alone. When Tetorō was done, Purrcy turned and asked Michael if the Eagles should all be done together as a group or individually.

He looked at her quizzically. "I thought we just agreed the uniforms were enough?"

Purrcy waved a paw. "I owe you all, remember? This is just as good a time to pay up as any."

Michael shifted, "Um...that reminds me...do you always pay for what's given to you?"

Purrcy looked at him confused. "Yes. Do you know why I answer to Shiroe?"

Michael blinked in surprise, then frowned. "No, I guess I don't."

"They offered to protect me from the Plague Master and everything that entailed, and I'd already imposed on them, in bringing the Wolf Pack to their door, so owed them for that defense as well. Shiroe asked that I guild with them so that they could more effectively protect me. It's an ongoing exchange that can be terminated at any time either party sees fit. As long as I'm guilded with Log Horizon, Shiroe has the right to ask of me what he will."

"Do you ever turn him down?" Michael asked.

She paused. "I may argue, but I don't recall a time that has been necessary."

"The four who took you into Shopping District 8 clandestinely - they weren't allowed to pay. Will payment still be made?" Michael changed the topic slightly back to where he'd been going with it.

Purrcy frowned. "That shouldn't have happened. I specifically have an arrangement with Calasin. They need to return the clothing now that he's returned and explain directly to him what happened so he can correct his staff, or create a proper agreement with them or the rest of the guild."

He nodded, apparently satisfied with that. "I would think as a group would be fine this time," he answered her question. She nodded back at him, then looked at Tetorō again.

Tetorō blinked at Purrcy. "You know, sometimes it's really hard to follow the conversations you two have." She smiled at him, but didn't answer. Tetorō shook his head, and let it go. "What do you want to wear?" he asked instead.

She considered her options, then put on the outfit she'd worn for the fashion show, it being the closest thing she had to a queen's outfit in her closet. She shifted to felinoid to put it on. He shook his head at her. "Skirt, at least."

She looked down at what she was wearing, then paused. "You make me feel like Cinderella's fairy godmother sometimes Tetorō." He raised an eyebrow at her. She picked out one of the dresses she liked from her line, and copied the skirt from it over the pants she was wearing, then modified the top slightly to match the waistline.

"You really do love the cheater methods, don't you?" he teased back.

"And what are you wearing?" she asked him. He was immediately in the uniform she'd created for the guards. She went in and tweaked it so it was less of a guard's uniform and more of a statesman's uniform.

"Well, that's not fair. I can't see what it looks like," he complained. Akatsuki put her mirror in front of him and he blinked. "Thanks," he looked at what he looked like, nodded, then saved it.

Purrcy smiled and stepped over to rub the top of his head. He looked up at her curiously and she kissed his forehead. "Are we ready then, or is there more?"

"As impatient as always," he snorted at her, but waved at Akatsuki and she put the mirror away. He got them all put into the order he wanted to process in, then sent the Eagles in to get seated since they were the majority of the audience. It would only be a small mostly-guild gathering after all.

-:-:-:-:-

"All rise for Kokuō Heika and Joō Heika," Tetorō said, having taken his place to the side of two chairs set up in the small clearing he'd led the processional to. The audience rose and Shiroe and Purrcy walked in, arm in arm. They went to the chairs then sat together. The audience sat after them at Tetorō's signal. Akatsuki and Naotsugu stood behind Shiroe's chair while Nyanta and Michael stood behind Purrcy's. The four of them were in the guard's uniform, and Shiroe had put on a formal outfit to match Purrcy's that Tetorō approved of. Tetorō had also made the collar a crown again.

Tetorō turned to Purrcy slightly and gave a small bow. She looked over the gathered people and smiled. "I'm grateful to Lord Tetorō for putting this formal court together for me so that I can properly thank those who've supported me until this time in a way that I find enjoyable. I hope you'll also enjoy our little court today with me, as a thing we don't often get to play at doing. However, I also hope you'll understand the sincerity of my gratitude." She nodded back to Tetorō.

He turned to the audience and said, "Joō Heika calls Ladies Isuzu, Minori, Serera, Marielle, Henrietta, and Akatsuki into her presence." They all waited while the six moved forward. Akatsuki arrived first, having already been standing behind Shiroe, and went down on one knee. The others weren't quite sure, but finally decided to follow her lead. "For their patient kindness and friendship, and willingness to be special witnesses of her wedding on the morrow, Joō Heika gifts the Ladies in Waiting with jewels befitting those who'll stand with her." There were giggles from a few of them to be called "Ladies in Waiting". Tetorō walked down the row, handing out boxes to them, then returned to his place.

The ladies opened their boxes and looked at the jewelry. Each had received a necklace and earrings. The younger three also received bracelets while the three who would stand with Purrcy received filigree coronets. Akatsuki and Henrietta both blushed at the coronets, but Marielle looked extremely pleased. "Thank you for your friendship, truly," Purrcy said gratefully. "I'm sorry if it's embarrassing to be up there in crowns, but surely I shouldn't be the only princess up there...and I couldn't stand to be the only one with a headdress of some kind. Please help me again in this.

Akatsuki looked over at Henrietta's coronet, then at hers again. "They're all different?" she asked.

Purrcy nodded. "Each is individualized."

Henrietta inspected hers. "All of the jewelry is a minor magic item also."

"Of course," Purrcy said. That earned her looks from all of them. "What purpose would they be but trinkets otherwise? These are gifts of gratitude to my friends."

They each bowed their heads and thanked her, then rose. "For the Ladies in Waiting," Tetorō said loudly and the audience clapped as the women returned to their places.

Michael stepped out from his place. "Her Majesty the Queen calls Lord Tetorō into her presence." Tetorō moved to kneel on one knee in front of Purrcy. "For his patience and efforts in her behalf, and his willingness to stand as a special witness of her wedding tomorrow, Her Majesty the Queen gifts her Lord in Waiting with his regalia also." A box appeared in Tetorō's hand and he opened it. Inside was a coronet that was a little more sedate but still elegantly done, a single earring, and a ring. He pulled out the ring and inspected it, then raised an eyebrow at the design on it.

Purrcy smiled a secret smile at him. "Thank you for standing with me tomorrow, and before as well. I'm fortunate that you're willing to see that my side is always warm."

"It's my pleasure," he bowed to her. "Thank you for the gifts." He rose, put the box away, and returned to his position during the polite applause he received. "Joō Heika calls Lords Touya, Rudy, Michael, Shouryuu, Naotsugu, and Shiroe Heika into her presence." Shiroe chose to kneel with the rest of them for this part. Purrcy smiled fondly at the men in front of her. "For their patient kindness and friendship, and willingness to be special witnesses of their wedding on the morrow, Joō Heika gifts the Lords in Waiting of Consort Nyanta with jewels befit those who will stand with him."

He passed out boxes, walking down the line. Touya, Rudy, and Michael each received a ring, an earring, and a pair of cuff-links. Shouryuu and Naotsugu each received a simple coronet, and a pair of cuff-links, and Naotsugu received in addition a ring like the other men of Log Horizon had. Shiroe had hesitated to open his box, it being slightly taller than the rest. He looked at Purrcy suspiciously and her eyes sparkled at him. "Thank you, all of you, for standing with us at this time. We appreciate your friendship."

Shiroe sighed lightly and lifted the top off his box. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. "Do I really have to wear it tomorrow?"

"If you don't, then I don't have to wear mine," she answered calmly. He shuddered. "You did leave me the opening, after all," she went on.

Tetorō reached down into the box and held up the more ornate king's crown that was inside Shiroe's box and showed it to everyone. There were hidden sniggers of laughter and a few oo's and ah's and Shiroe blushed. Tetorō calmly turned it and set it down on Shiroe's head. It autosized to fit him and he blushed harder. Tetorō calmly reached into the box again and pulled out the ring, then demanded Shiroe's hand and slipped the ring on his middle finger. It glowed briefly, then settled. Shiroe looked at Tetorō sadly, but Tetorō shook his head. Shiroe closed the lid back up on the cuff-links and put the box away with a sigh.

Tetorō returned to his position. "For the Lords in Waiting," Tetorō said loudly and the audience clapped as the men bowed their heads, thanked Purrcy, then rose and returned to their places. Now Shiroe fit in his place properly as far as regalia went, more properly matching Purrcy. She settled to enjoying herself a little better after that.

"Will the Royal Guard please rise?" Tetorō intoned next. It was better to leave them all in their places, given their number. They all rose and stood at attention. "For their service to Kokuō Heika and Joō Heika, the Royal Guard is formally recognized and granted the uniform of their house." For a moment nothing happened, then Purrcy raised her hand and from it flew twenty-four red birds that fluttered and settled on each one of the pilots. Understanding this from before, they each accepted the gift, then stood in surprise.

"I've gifted them an original selectable-from-the-item-list uniform, rather than an artisan one." Purrcy explained. "Including what I hope is an appropriate flavor text and bonuses."

"You can do that?" Shiroe turned and asked her.

"Of course," she answered as mildly as she had before for the ladies. "If anything, it's easier, at least on the part of the tailors, and I don't have to wait." She turned back to the guards. "I know that you think it's going to be awful, but that's because you haven't tried anything I've made before. Please put them on. It's necessary before the next gift can be given."

The Eagles all eyed each other a little, then finally a few had the courage to try them on. There was a pause while they blinked, then they slowly smiled. "I think you made it a little _too_ comfortable, Your Majesty," one of them said. "I'll forget I'm supposed to be guarding." The rest put them on and nodded agreement.

"Look inside," she ordered. "They're adjustable. I've given you the base code, not just the images. Alter them as you need, as long as you don't change the basic visual effect."

"Not right now," Tetorō interrupted. They went to attention again. "For their service during difficult times and for their prowess in battle, Joō Heika grants to the Royal Guard their formal arms of service." He took a breath. He hadn't had to do a group assignment yet and he had to make sure he got it right. He went by sixes until there were swords and sword belts on all of them.

"Thank you for watching over a difficult ward such as I," Purrcy said. "It's a small token of my gratitude in payment for putting you through distress and frustration. Please continue to watch over me, even if I do remain difficult."

"That's a bit bigger than small token," protested Michael from behind her, having already read the descriptive text of the swords. _Sword of the Akiba Royal Guard: A weapon to be used in the defense of the sworn lieges of the Akiba Royal Guard. Unable to be stolen from the person it is granted to. Plus 9 against Magic Attacks, this sword cuts through enemies dealing internal slicing damage that cannot be seen from the outside. Speed is plus 3 in the hands of an Assassin Class wielder._

"Then perhaps it will be considered sufficient payment," she answered him quietly. More loudly, she explained to them, "It's my intent that the bonus against magic attacks will allow you to use it directly against Hacker attacks without intent being required."

"Akatsuki, Naotsugu, Touya, please also stand forward," Tetorō said. They stepped up and he put swords and sword belts on each of them also. Akatsuki glowed. She'd been looking rather enviously at the swords after reading their bonuses. "Rudy, Minori, and Isuzu also please stand," he said. Rudy had been looking a little cool to hide disappointment, but now looked curious as he rose with the girls. Tetorō put belts on them also, but on theirs was the dagger rather than the sword. Then on his own waist was the fourth dagger and belt. He sighed. For those of them not warriors to begin with the daggers were better. Rather than have the Assassin Class bonus, they had a plus 4 bonus to hit if wielded by a non-weapon Class. "Thank you. You may be seated," he said.

Tetorō paused to recover, then glowed as Marielle gave him a helping hand. He glanced at her gratefully. "Joō Heika calls Mister BigMusclesBill into her presence." The blacksmith rose and walked up. He'd been watching the proceedings a bit bemused, though he'd certainly appreciated the gifts just given and their reception since they'd been made by himself and his men. A bit jauntily, he also knelt on one knee and grinned at Purrcy. She smiled serenely back. "For his service over the last year and his willingness to be abused at the random whims of Joō Heika, she grants him also gifts of gratitude." BigMusclesBill's smile turned a little wry.

Purrcy rose and walked up to him. In her hand was a cloth. She reached down and showed it to him. "BugMusclesBill, I grant to you my favor. Please wear it as a symbol to all who see it of my undying gratitude for your continuing service to me." He looked at it and his eyes went wide. He nodded and she stepped to his left side and wrapped it around his upper arm and tied it on. It was a golden color, like the color of her eyes and swirls. Looking at it, it could be seen that it also had magic properties of plus 2 strength and plus 3 defense, and a flavor text explaining it briefly. "Also, I have a gift for you. Please stand," she told him and stepped back one step.

When BigMusclesBill was standing, Tetorō put another belt and sword on him. He looked confused, but Purrcy raised a hand to get his attention. "Put your hand on the hilt," she told him. He reached down and did so and at the touch it converted until his hand was on the head of a gleaming war hammer in a proper holster. His eyes lit up and he pulled it from the holster to heft it. He inspected it closely. The flavor text had changed along with it's shape. _War Hammer of Inari-no-Izanami. Gifted by the Caretaker and Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami. A weapon to be used in the defense of others. Unable to be stolen from the person it is granted to. Plus 9 against Magic Attacks. Speed is plus 3 in the hands of a Blacksmith._ BigMusclesBill gave Purrcy a strange sort of look, then swung the hammer experimentally, after backing up a few steps. He nodded. "It's kept it's balance and lightness in the hand. Do you know what kind of damage it will do?"

"No," Purrcy admitted. "I'm not sure how the scalpel formation translated. You'll want to practice with it and find out, I expect. You might want to take a few scalpels with you just in case there aren't any external wounds otherwise." She gave him a wry look.

He smiled back, then bowed. "Thank you very much, Purrcy."

"You're very welcome. Thank you for all of your hard work," she responded, then moved back to her chair. He returned to his own seat as well, placing the war hammer back in its holster.

Tetorō took another breath. "Joō Heika calls Miss Mei-Mao into her presence." A female elf rose smoothly and walked up to the front. She bowed politely, but stayed standing. "For her service, leadership, and diligence over the last year in behalf of Joō Heika, she grants Miss Mei-Mao also gifts of gratitude."

Purrcy rose again. This time she bowed. "Mei-Mao, you've sat at your table many long nights in my behalf, and encouraged your fellow tailors, even when my requests have seemed most maddening. I'm grateful to you for your patience with me. Will you also accept my favor, though it be but a small token of recognition?"

"I will, Lady Purrcy," Mei-Mao said graciously.

Purrcy walked to her and tied onto her left upper arm the same kind of cloth she'd tied on to BigMusclesBill. "Thank you, Mei-Mao." Purrcy stepped back to stand in front of her chair again, and motioned to Tetorō. Tetorō walked over to Mei-Mao and handed her a shallow hinged box. Mei-Mao opened it and her eyebrows raised. "This is the surgical sewing kit that BigMusclesBill has created for me. The tools in it can be used to heal in the same manner that your own scissors, needles, and threads bind fabric together. You'll need no additional training other than coming to understand what they do, for you're already both a healer and a tailor. Thank you, Mei-Mao."

The elf closed the box and bowed. "Thank you, Lady Purrcy. It's a kind and thoughtful gift." Purrcy tipped her head and Mei-Mao took herself back to her seat.

"Joō Heika calls HackerM1 into her presence," Tetorō said. Michael stiffened, then once again came around the chair to kneel in front of Purrcy, resting his hand on his new sword so the point didn't catch on the ground.

"Please also accept my favor," she said to him and moved to tie it on without waiting much to receive his answer, though he nodded. When she was standing in front of him again, she held up a small pin. "Also, I bequeath to you your wings earned when you learned your own and learned to fly appropriately. To show you are worthy of receiving this pin, please show me your wings.

Michael blushed slightly, then he was shirtless and his brown eagle wings grew from his back until they covered it. He cautiously, because they were rather large, spread them open. She walked down the left one, on her right, and inspected it carefully, lightly brushing it along the feathers and the front line. Then she returned to him and nodded. "Well formed. Will you fly for me just a bit so I can see you've really earned it, though I have witnesses you've already done so."

"You didn't see it?" he asked curiously.

"No. It was after that battle and I spoke with you that Tetorō allowed me to see," she explained.

Michael nodded, put away his sword so it wouldn't be in the way, and stood. Purrcy and Tetorō both stepped back. Michael's wings went back and he crouched, then he sprang into the air as his wings gave a great flap downward. He rose into the air about ten feet, then flapped again several more times until he was fifty feet up. He gave a flap that moved him forward and he flew around the clearing in a great half-circle. He swirled in to fly straight back to the front and glide down until he fluttered in to a landing, stirring up a wind that caught those standing at the "thrones". He crossed his arms as he looked at Purrcy piercingly.

She nodded solemnly, then held out a hand. Michael reached out and a little key passed to his hand from hers. "Take this to the tailors. It's the code for the wing holes so they can make you shirts to wear while flying. Make sure to give them at least one magic leather, perhaps soft doe skin of the White Anatha Doe, so they can make you defensive armor to wear while flying."

"Thank you," he said, putting it into his list, then put away his wings and clothed himself again properly. Purrcy walked up to him and reached up to pin the wings to his collar but he grabbed her wrist in his hand gently. He looked at her, then looked at the pin, inspecting it. When he was satisfied, he released her wrist and patiently allowed her to pin it to his collar. "When did you learn to change matter, not just the tag?" he asked her quietly as she worked.

"A long time ago, Michael," she said just as quietly. "When we can be quiet again, I'll take you and Tetorō and we'll have your next proper Apprentice lessons that will graduate you both to Journeymen." They both stiffened slightly at that news. She finished pinning the wings that extended from a paw print to his collar and stepped back. He bowed to her formally and she gave him a look of pride.

When they'd returned to their positions, Tetorō solemnly called for the last person of the proceedings. "Joō Heika calls the Queen's Consort before her." He looked Nyanta in the eye but was silent as the felinoid walked to stand before the thrones. Nyanta bowed, one hand to his chest. Purrcy's eyes were only for him. "Kneel," Tetorō said quietly. Nyanta's ear flicked slightly, but he complied when he saw the larger box in Tetorō's hand.

Purrcy rose and walked forward. Tetorō removed the lid of the box and held it for her. Purrcy pulled out a castellated coronet of silvery mithril. Seven stones the primary colors of the rainbow were set around it, one in the center of each castellation. Each stone had a magical property and the coronet did as well. Even Shiroe's eyes went wide. Purrcy hadn't had this made. This was a world treasure in it's own right. "While the binding ceremony will be tomorrow, I place this upon your head today as Caretaker and Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami to let all know who see it that you are my Consort and my Eternal Mate. Even when you're not wearing it expressly, it's shadow will always linger upon your brow so that all who look to see shall understand and not have to only believe on your word alone." Carefully Purrcy settled the crown on Nyanta's head. There was a light that extended from each of the stones around in the circle from red through the rainbow to the blue, then they all lit up to a white flash. When people could see again, the stones were no longer glowing, but the crown itself seemed to have a shimmer to it. "Wear it tomorrow," she instructed him and he nodded.

Purrcy turned back to the box. She pulled out a heavy ornate chain that she put over Nyanta's head to rest around his neck and on his shoulders. There was a medallion hanging down the front of it. "I've been instructed to gift you with this," she said a bit cryptically. "With this you're titled, but even I don't know what the title is. It apparently will be revealed at a later time." Shiroe and Tetorō both pulled up Nyanta's data but it was only given as two question marks next to his name. She next pulled out two earrings and attached them to his ears. They were dangling earrings that caught the light and flashed redly. She smiled at him. "I promised you protection if you should get titled and have to walk with me. These increase good luck and if used correctly will protect you from being seen when danger is near."

Nyanta smiled back at her. "I'm glad mew didn't forget."

"I just hope you don't disappear in the middle of the wedding," she answered back. "I'd hate to think that just marrying me is that dangerous." The audience laughed lightly. She reached in one more time and pulled out a ring. "You'll get the wedding ring tomorrow. This is the brother to the ones I've given to the others." He held up a paw and she set the ring down on it and it disappeared. She pulled him up to his feet and stepped back several steps as Tetorō put the box away. "Put away your rapiers," she asked Nyanta. He did so and Tetorō put the last two swords on him, one on each side. "Touch the pommels," she ordered, looking Nyanta in the eye. He crossed his arms and grasped the pommels of the swords and they transformed into beautiful rapiers.

He drew them and carefully inspected them. The flavor text read:  _Frère de Main Gauche, Frère de Main Droite. Paired rapiers to be used in the defense of others. Gifted by the Caretaker and Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami to her Consort and Mate. Unable to be stolen from the person they are granted to. Plus 9 against Magic Attacks, these rapiers cut through enemies dealing internal damage that cannot be seen from the outside. Speed is plus 3 in the hands of a Swashbuckler Class wielder, dealing -x² to the defense of an enemy for each blow, x._

There were low whistles at the last line, and even Nyanta looked a little stunned. "They're a named pair," he said in wonder. "Did mew have to spend a lot to get the square? That seems expensive."

Purrcy blinked, then looked at the rapiers. "Hum," she said. "I didn't do that. I guess that's your other present. If whatever you're defending me from doesn't back off quickly they'll disappear quickly enough, I'd think. I suppose we can only be grateful." Nyanta nodded, then replaced the blades in their sheaths. "I hope they'll be a sufficient wedding present," Purrcy said to him.

Nyanta paused, his paws resting on the guards of his rapiers, not quite looking at her. He bowed, then stepped swiftly to her and took her in an embrace and kissed her long. When he released her, he whispered in her ear, "More than sufficient, mon amour, though it is mew I am awaiting." Purrcy took in a shivery breath as her whole body shivered in reaction.

Tetorō sighed. "Let her go, Nyanta-san," he scolded quietly. "It isn't really fair that only Nyanta gets to say thank you that way." Tetorō swore the look Nyanta gave him was one of evil glee. Nyanta released Purrcy and gallantly walked her back to her chair and seated her, then walked back around the chair to stand behind her, his face yet again passive, but his ears and tail told how pleased he was, even with a fancy crown on his head.

"Thus ends the court of Kokuō Heika and Joō Heika. All rise," Tetorō intoned. Everyone seated rose, including Shiroe and Purrcy. Shiroe tucked Purrcy's hand in his arm again and led her off to the side of the main area, the four guards going with them. Tetorō waved his hand and the chairs disappeared to be returned to the guild hall. He pulled out a glass of peach juice and drank it down in one go. That had been rather a lot of work and talking.

"Tetorō-kun!" It was softly called but he turned quickly. Purrcy was looking at him. He went immediately. She took his head in her hands and leaned in and kissed him on the lips, stunning him. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much for the gift of a formal court. ...Though why you wanted another fuzzy kiss, I have no idea." A laugh spurted out of him, then more, until he was holding her and laughing and crying at the same time.


	15. Purrcy's Past is Torn

"Is Daddy going to be home for dinner, Mom?" Purrcy had just asked her oldest, Hannah to set the table.

Purrcy finished stirring the noodles and removed them from the heat to pour out the boiling water into the sink. "I don't know, honey. He hasn't contacted me yet to let me know when he'll get in. Go ahead and set a place. He'll eat when he gets here." Her husband was hard working, conscientious about getting the job done on time...it was just he was a procrastinator when the pressure wasn't on. It would be nice if he could learn to pace himself better so he didn't die of a heart attack or stroke from the stress, but he'd been that way for as long as she knew him and he didn't look likely to change.

Dinner was over by the time he texted to complain at how late it was - after 8 p.m. already - and he was starving. "There's food here for you when you get here," her text reply read. The kids were just done with homework and she was getting the youngest into the bathtub. She was already tired enough to head to bed herself. It had been a long day, mostly on her feet and herding children.

"Mom, do you think he'll remember and come?" Hannah asked in passing, drying her hair with a towel. She went first in the bath usually.

"I think so, honey," she replied, distracted by the youngest son splashing water all over the bathroom. Hannah paused, seemed tentative as if she really did want to say something more, but knew her mom was too busy right then to pay much attention. Hannah sort of sighed and turned to walk off to her room. She likely also had more homework to finish, now that she was in high school. Purrcy would get to her after the littles were tucked into bed...if she could. She really needed to sit and converse with Hannah sometime soon. High school social life was difficult and she surely needed to get something off her chest.

He walked in the door just as night-time story time was beginning. "Daddy!" "Daddy's home!" The youngest two jumped up from the couch and ran to give him hugs. He hugged them in return and threw Teddy up in the air to catch him again while Purrcy went into the kitchen to put the dinner on his plate and warm it up in the microwave. Her phone rang before the timer on the microwave did.

By the time he was sitting at the table, the kids leaning on it to talk to him about their day, the microwave was done, and the phone conversation was, too. Purrcy sighed and walked the plate in to set it on the table. "I'm sorry, honey...Heather just called. She's been stranded at work again." He looked up at her, unhappy, like she knew he would. She looked back with a hopeless expression. "I know...," Purrcy bit her lip, "but I can't just leave her there with no other way to get home."

He nodded curtly. "I hate to send you out, but you need to go."

"Thanks. The kids are ready for bed. Just send them once they've had their say, okay?" She hardly got a nod as he tucked into the food. She slipped on her shoes and snatched up her purse and keys, almost running out the door, then turned and slipped her head back in, "Hey, please try to see they get into bed, too, this time. Ericka's got a test tomorrow and Teddy didn't do so well at school today. Thanks!" The door closed behind her and she was rushing to the car. Her sister's husband's stroke four years before meant Heather had to work to pay the bills - including all the medical bills. As a housewife prior to that, without enough experience, she'd only recently managed to find a job that didn't cover the bills well enough to pay for a car, but did keep her and the family fed. Purrcy wanted to help as much as she could...but...it was almost an hour round-trip drive to the other side of town and back.

The quiet drive to pick up Heather was nice. It was really rare to get quiet time. That was the first third of the trip. The second third of the trip was smiling politely and lying about how things were going at home and listening to Heather's problems - while struggling to not take them on. Sympathy was all she had to give anymore. Everything else took up what little Purrcy had these days. The last third of the trip was hard. Purrcy wavered between guilt tripping herself and worrying, finally losing herself in hard-rock on the radio so the tempo would keep her awake and out of her head. She'd hated hard-rock all her life until now.

Walking up to the door, with all the lights still blazing in the house, she had to stop and take three deep breaths. The kids were still up. Purrcy went in, slipped off her shoes and put her purse and keys away, then went straight to chivying the kids to bed. That took another half-hour, they were so wound up on the video games they'd been playing. By the time the littlest were in bed, the oldest was asleep, the opportunity to have talked to her gone. _Five_ _pounds_.

He was still sitting on his phone, facebooking or something, when she came back out to the living room. If he'd been playing with the kids, it would have been something she could smile about and be tolerant of. They missed him, after all. They'd probably been hoping he _would_ play with them, or even just talk to them. The book was open next to him still at the first page...they'd probably asked him to read it. He'd likely been tired after a long day at work and ready to just vegetate. She could understand that, too.

She wanted to cry. Instead she looked at him. She wanted to scold him, instead she asked, "You do remember that Hannah's recital is tomorrow, right? She's really looking forward to showing you what she can do."

"Mmm, huh?" He looked up at her. "Oh, it's tomorrow?" A frown. "Ah...I've had something come up at work and I've been asked to stay for an evening meeting. I've got to be there. You'll tell her I'm sorry, and I'm really proud of her, won't you?"

"She'd really like to hear that from you." They all would.

"Well, I'll try to send her a text tomorrow, then." Purrcy turned away, picking up the newest set of toys on the floor.

"They really keep it a mess, huh?" he said casually.

She prickled. "Well, they are kids." She cleaned up after them - and had them clean up after themselves - probably five times a day. He just never saw the clean times.

"Oh, that reminds me...when I was going out yesterday," _at past 9 a.m._ , "I noticed the gardens are getting pretty weedy. We need to take care of that." _Ten pounds._

"Well, I did ask you to not add another garden bed this year, what with Teddy starting first grade and all," she answered back casually. She really hated that his hobbies always turned into "we" which meant "you", or herself that is.

"Well...it was meant to be a family project. Can't you get Hannah and Sam to help you? What are they doing these days anyway?"

 _You don't remember?_ "Hannah's busy trying to understand High School plus keep up with her dance schedule and Samuel's trying to not be lost in Jr. High. He comes home a mess and has to de-stress before I can get him to start on homework, but he's getting there." If she didn't defend their oldest son, he would get yet another lecture whenever he let his dad see him. He hid as much as possible from his dad, these days. All he got were the lectures.

Not like Purrcy had the time to push them to more activities anyway. She also had her hands full and had known she would before the garden beds even went in. He hadn't listened, as usual. She wanted to yell at him. She started the dishwasher instead. He'd had good intentions at the beginning, he just couldn't follow through at home as much as he wanted to.

Purrcy paused by her computer. "Hey, you're not going to do that again tonight are you?" he pleaded. "I want to have at least a little time with my wife, you know? We never talk anymore." _Fifteen pounds._

"What do you want to talk about?"

"Whatever."

"Well, you know, the kids would really like to see you more. They miss you."

"Yeah, I miss them too. Soon, we'll have this project done and I'll take a Saturday off and we'll go down to the cabin."

She had to try harder for Hannah's sake. "You know, the recital...everyone was looking forward to having you come, and asking if maybe we could do dinner out as a family after to celebrate with Hannah. ...Ericka's starting to ask if you really do love us."

He sat up in shock. "Of course I do! I work hard for all of you _because_ I love all of you." _Twenty pounds._ "I'll try really hard to catch her next one. Maybe you can call me when you get out and if the meeting's done I'll come have dinner with you."

 _Do you know...you haven't seen even one recital yet?_ "Okay." Hannah would pout and be angry the whole dinner because he'd come to fill his belly but not cared enough to see the recital she'd been working so hard on. Samuel would be petulant and irritable to keep his dad from talking to him, wanting to dodge the expected lecture. The youngest two would act up because they'd be too tired. Purrcy gave up and went to the bathroom. It was just twenty pounds on top of the daily thirty she was already carrying. Fifty pounds always put her down on the ground.

...Bedtime routine was done. He was done first, as usual, and as usual was lying on the bed, his phone still in his hand. Purrcy turned out her light and lay down, wondering if he'd remember that he'd asked for her attention tonight or not. He didn't. She was nearly asleep when she heard him muttering about wives who fell asleep, but she'd been up early and at the school all day. Teddy was slightly autistic and was finding the adjustment difficult. She volunteered in the nurse's station so he could be sent down to her if he had a meltdown. They wanted her to quit, but she was afraid of what would happen to him. She didn't trust the system enough. It had never done her nor her siblings any favors. She was seriously considering homeschooling Teddy. At least then she'd be home to get the chores done that weren't being done and Teddy would be more settled, but she was afraid to broach it to her husband.

Every time she'd tried to make suggestions for how to raise the kids he'd blow them out of the water with well reasoned arguments she had troubles arguing against, even if she knew she was right. And then when she was proven right he'd claim they never had the discussion in the first place. He was too busy to remember them. And he wasn't ever home to follow through on the raising of them in his way, so they weren't turning out the way he wanted. And that was her fault too, that they were all "just like her". She pretended to still be asleep until he was snoring. The anger, frustration, and loneliness were all too much. She couldn't hold still any longer than that.

Purrcy quietly rose from the bed, as if going to the bathroom, but walked out to her computer in the dark, not needing a light. She turned it on, poured up two glasses of water, made sure she had her snacks, the headset was plugged in, and called up _Elder Tales_. She'd been an avid reader of high-school and college level books since fifth grade. Science fiction, fantasy...just about anything well written. She'd lost herself in D&D as an older teen and younger twenty-something, loving being able to role-play all the characters she wanted. She'd known Japanese animation would be a very bad drug for her in college and stayed away from it, though she'd moved from D&D to real role playing in the medieval recreation group that took all of her love and attention that wasn't on studies.

Then she'd gotten married and had kids. Since then she'd tried to be responsible and respectable for her husband's sake and theirs. Nothing good was being written any more anyway, and the D&D group fell apart halfway through college. She'd had to give the medieval group up when kids came along, too. It was too hard to have fun and babysit at the same time. But then...Hannah had discovered manga and anime online. It wasn't like it had been when Purrcy was in college. Now there were lots of options, not just the bootlegged VCR tapes home-subbed. Purrcy had been sucked in and hadn't cared. Things were already becoming problematic and she needed her escape like her kids did.

That made things at home worse, of course. It wasn't all his fault. It was her way to escape instead of confront. When he wanted conversation and to "really talk about the important things" he pushed her into confrontation. It scared the kids, but she only had the two. Silence and overly-loud. She knew there were other ways to communicate, but she was so tired she couldn't find them. They talked every once in a while about going to see a councilor, but it was never followed through on. Neither one knew where they'd find one anyway.

Things had finally come to a head the last 'fight' though, and she'd really had it. It had been "her fault" that his own inability to be home to learn to love and be loved by everyone and to discipline and be obeyed were gone to hell in a hand-basket. She'd warned him when Samuel was nine that he was going to lose his son if he wasn't home more regularly to be present enough to teach him how to be a man. Just most dinners and most of the time on weekends. Her pleas had fallen on ears that could not comprehend that mothers are not fathers. Lost on a brain that was so intelligent it couldn't figure it out and could only see that "working to earn money" equaled "love" when really "time" always and ever would equal "love". He was only reaping what he'd sown and she'd fought for it to not happen then, yet now it was her fault that it had happened in the end just as she'd thought it would.

That final fight, she'd given up and succumbed to her last unexplored secret obsession: online gaming. Tonight, she lost herself in it again. But inside, she was crying. Playing to ignore it. Playing to hide that she really was lost in real life and didn't know how to recover. She had to lie to Heather. The outside world only ever saw that Purrcy's husband was a good guy who tried his hardest. ...And he was and did. But the inside was crumbling and failing and falling apart and neither one of them knew what to do to fix it. She couldn't hold them together any more and was just ghosting through each day, more and more dead, more and more used up and broken.

...She was playing hookie from Teddy's school, having switched to the more difficult distraction of playing on an open Japan server to practice her reading so she could read the manga chapters that were still waiting to be translated, when the Japan midnight switch-over to the new upgrade, _Noosphere Pioneers_ , occurred. When she stumbled and fell to her knees and saw fuzzy black arms and felt an ear twitch in a way it shouldn't have, she curled up into a ball and cried, then cursed because it wasn't any different from the crying she'd already been doing all night and day for months. Her children had been left with no advocate, now in a home with two absentee parents. Alone were a daughter who would hate both her father _and_ mother for missing her important recitals but really because they'd stepped out of her life altogether, a son who would hate the world and resist authority, a daughter who would struggle to ever have confidence in herself, a son who would be lost to the whims of society, and a husband who would be as clueless as an infant as to how to deal with life with motherless children.

Once it was out of her system, she figured out how to crawl, then walk on the unsteady paws. She learned quickly how to listen and smell and see. She'd had a kitten as a kid and pretended to be one with it as it grew up. She hadn't been too far off, really. Walking into Susukino had been frightening. She'd always been shy, though she'd been fighting it for the kid's sake at the schools. By her druthers she would have never left her house to even grocery shop. But she'd always wanted to tour Japan, and even more, because of her reading and role-playing passion...she'd also really, really, always wanted to end up lost in a game for real. She was the happiest she'd been for a long time, as long as she didn't think about home. The most relaxed, the most calm. She just wished she could understand the language better. She used what she did have to the best of her ability.

As a mother, she couldn't help but scold, teach, protect, and it got her into trouble since she didn't _look_ her age. It was amazing how just looks made a difference. Then she'd seen another felinoid who she instinctively recognized was also an older player who cared about what was going on. She really hadn't meant to fall in love at first sight like that, but she'd already gone back to being a twenty-something just by being here. No one ever grew up from that phase anyway - just the body did to everyone's dismay. He'd been everything her husband wasn't just in those first few moments of watching him. Then life had taken a turn for the very bad, and she'd run, wishing she didn't have to but not having anything to tie her there, and a whole world to explore and love.

"I love you and the kids." Purrcy's head whipped around. "I've been working so hard for all of you. It really hurts, you know, that none of you will talk to me, or spend time with me."

She wanted to laugh and cry and spit angry words at him. She didn't have any. She never had any, never was able to argue with him. He'd argued her into the ground too many times. She had absolutely no confidence in him ever understanding her, in him ever listening enough to really remember what she'd said, and really in the end she couldn't trust that he really cared enough anyway, so it wasn't worth it. He'd loved his work and his computers from the beginning more than her, staying up to program or whatever until after eleven p.m., leaving her a lonely new bride rejected, scolded even, if she tried to tempt him to bed before he was good and ready - and then he was too tired anyway. She'd cried herself to sleep a lot in those first two years, then had gone cold in bed to his dismay when he cared about three years later. Just like he cared now about the kids, but it was too late.

She turned her back to him again, and her heart hurt. She still loved him. He was kind, loving, thoughtful. Just as dense as hell and too opinionated to believe anyone other than himself. And she was unfair and selfish and cold, for all she kept trying so very hard to carry him and the kids and the house and...everything except the earning of money. They were partners. Bad ones. Lovers had never been in the picture since the time she'd cried herself to sleep the night of her birthday the second year they were married and he'd sat at the computer for 'just another hour'. They'd been at least content together until she could see the train wreck coming, and they'd been miserable since it had happened. She shook and shook until her stomach was cramping terribly. Her breath came in gasps until she was moaning.

-:-:-:-:-

"Nyanta-san, Nyanta!"

"Akatsuki-chan?" he asked sleepily.

"It's Purrcy. I think you'd better come. My room." Nyanta was up immediately. "She suddenly started shivering, then moaning. She's not breathing well."

Only having to go one floor, and by tree trunk, he was already there. Purrcy looked terrible, really. He wasn't surprised Akatsuki had called for him. He reached for Purrcy to touch her shoulder. "Purrcy, can mew hear me?" he asked gently. His paw touched her and she disappeared. They both looked around the room in surprise, finally finding her against the wall as if she'd suddenly shot away from him only to come up against that boundary. They blinked in utmost surprise. Her eyes were open, but not seeing them. "Akatsuki-chan," he said quietly and carefully, "guard the door and call for Tetorō-kun. Mew should purrobably stay." Purrcy didn't react to his words. That was more worrisome.

Akatsuki moved to the door, closing it since Nyanta had left it open, and called up a chat with Tetorō. Nyanta rubbed his face then head with his paws, trying to wake up enough to not be grumpy and to figure out what it might be. Shivering...at home that was fever and illness. She could be sick...except that Adventurers didn't get sick. "Tetorō says she's here, not in the code realm. He can't get her attention, either. He's on his way," Akatsuki reported. Nyanta nodded. A healing spell might be good to try, regardless. She did seem to be calming somewhat, at least in her breathing. She seemed to be breathing a little deeper...as if smelling.

Nyanta carefully moved closer again, but this time didn't try to touch her. She definitely was calming to his scent. He rubbed his ear. It was an embarrassing thing to think, actually, especially the night before the wedding. She'd been in this room on purpose. He froze and his heart fell. Shivering...was also crying. He knew what this was and it wasn't easy, nor was it good. His scent might be helping, but his presence wouldn't, most likely. He put his head on his paw, trying to think of the solution. There was a light knock on the door and Akatsuki let Tetorō in.

Nyanta looked at the younger man, his ears down in distress. "Call her Hahaue and see if mew can get her attention as a child, but don't touch."

"Do you know what it is?" Tetorō asked as he cautiously came to crouch down next to Nyanta, looking worriedly at Purrcy.

"I think so," Nyanta said sadly. Tetorō waited, looking at Nyanta when he didn't continue. Nyanta's ear twitched and his paw clenched. "It's the tearing of the past, the bonds of home, in order to move forward."

Tetorō sat back and blew out a breath. "Taihen, neh?" Nyanta nodded.

"But she was sleeping until just a bit ago," Akatsuki protested.

Nyanta nodded. "She purrobably was dreaming it - the past, the pain. She's purrobably still there, in the dream state. It may be difficult to get her to come back to the purresent and reality." He rubbed a paw on his leg, trying to think of the right thing to do. "Her pain is there, at home, and in the dream. We need to let her know that she's with us still, not there. Here is where she's happy."

Tetorō blinked at Nyanta in surprise, then shook his head. "No, I shouldn't be...we all have the nightmares we return to at death. Most of us would rather be here than there at some level, even if we do want to go home to Earth." He took a breath, then scooted forward just a little. "Hahaue. Hahaue." He crooned it, called to her. "Please, wake up. You're dreaming and it's scaring me. I, Tetorō-kun, want you back. Please, come back. Wake up. You're Log Horizon's Hahaue and we're here with you." He bit his lip and considered Purrcy. Her ears had turned to him slightly, it seemed. Perhaps it was progress.

Nyanta knew that as the man she was going to marry here, he couldn't help. She was just as afraid of him right now, the one who was tearing her past from her. But...he'd wanted her to comfort him when he'd felt it. Perhaps she wanted that also. She had calmed down to his scent a little. His whiskers twitched, then he was small housecat. He carefully crawled up to her on his belly until he was almost touching her nose with his, then he began to purr, though that made him shiver, too. This was hard, trying to convince her she should give up her past for him. It hurt because he knew how much it hurt to give up that past. Now he understood why she'd said she was sorry when she'd reached him to comfort him, why she'd seemed in just as much pain as he had been.

"Nyanta-san, I'm going to cast a healing spell, just in case," Tetorō informed him quietly. Nyanta nodded, continuing to purr. He really wanted to reach out and touch her again, but it would likely still be a bad idea. There was a glow around Purrcy as Tetorō cast the healing spell. Akatsuki had called up another chat and was trying to wake up another member of the guild.

Tetorō looked over his shoulder, surprised. "Why Isuzu?" he asked.

"Well...her song. It woke Purrcy up before." Akatsuki said tentatively.

"Oohh," Tetorō said and nodded. "If it could do it then, it might do it now, too. Then we could talk to her." He sat back a little relieved and returned to monitoring Purrcy.

They waited quietly, only Nyanta's purring and Purrcy's pained breathing filling the space, until Isuzu arrived with her lute. Her thick curly hair was a wild tangle and her eyes were wide, having been pulled out of a deep sleep. She took in the scene, then sat down next to Tetorō and quickly finished tuning the lute. "Bring her back here to Log Horizon," Tetorō instructed Isuzu. "She's lost on Earth in her dream, but in pain there. We need her back here."

Isuzu considered the instructions, thinking of what to sing. Finally she cleared her throat, "It's terrible, but it's the best I can come up with this tired." She seemed to reach for the song and the magic, then took a deep breath and began to sing, colored notes dancing in the air to hover over Purrcy.

 _Wake up, Little Purrcy, wake up._  
_Wake up, Little Purrcy, wake up._

 _The dream wasn't so hot._  
_It had a terribly painful plot._  
_You fell asleep with all of us, we love you a lot._  
_Wake up, Little Purrcy_  
_Wake up, Little Purrcy_  
_Log Horizon's your home._

Isuzu stopped singing, though she continued to strum on her lute, looking to see if that had been enough. Nyanta was encouraged and his ears pricked forward. Purrcy seemed to have returned somewhat. Isuzu began it again and sang it a second time. This time Purrcy's ear flicked and she took a deeper breath. Her shivering seemed to lessen as well. Nyanta glanced at Tetorō.

Tetorō blushed slightly, then said, "Hahaue, we're here, me - Tetorō - and Akatsuki and Isuzu and Nyanta-san. Can you wake up for us, please? We want to help you." Purrcy's eyes turned to Tetorō's location and he shifted closer. "Can I touch you? Just so you know we're here, really?" Both of her ears turned towards him and he tentatively put out his hand until he just touched her on the head. She jerked away, shrinking her head into her shoulders and Tetorō held still. Slowly Purrcy relaxed until her head just touched his hand. She paused, then she was shivering again. Tetorō slowly pet her, looking sad. "It's okay. We're here," he said soothingly. "We know it's hard."

Nyanta was trying very hard to not be jealous when suddenly he was being scooped up and pulled to Purrcy's chest. He grew a little bigger, if for no other reason than to protect his lungs so he could breathe as she squeezed him to her. He continued to purr and rubbed his head on her jaw.

"Th-thank y-you," Purrcy said, the tears in her voice. "S-so p-pain-ful."

"Mm-hm," Nyanta chanced speaking to her. "Very. But mew're really here with us and we want mew here. Mew can choose now."

Purrcy was quiet for a moment, then she released one arm from around Nyanta - but not the other, and reached for Tetorō's hand. He chose to give her the one not petting her and she took it tightly. Holding on to both of them, she said. "Here. I w-want to be h-here." The tears were still painfully evident even if not visible.

"Then we'll be here with mew," Nyanta said to her soothingly. "I will always be with mew." She pulled him up to hide her face in his side and nodded her head into his fur. He lightly groomed her cheek to try to calm her a little more.

Isuzu sighed, then stood up unsteadily. "If you don't mind...," she murmured, "falling asleep." Akatsuki jumped up and helped her get to the door, thanking her and apologizing for interrupting her sleep, though Isuzu waved it off then stumbled for her room.

Akatsuki looked at the rest of them in her room and looked like she wasn't sure what to do about the situation. Tetorō looked from her to the felinoids. Nyanta looked back. He wasn't going to leave Purrcy. Tetorō paused in his petting. "Purrcy, will you go to small cat? Nyanta-san's with you. He'll stay." Purrcy immediately was obedient, now curled up next to Nyanta, still shivering into his side. "Go a little smaller, Nyanta-san," Tetorō ordered. Nyanta complied, then Tetorō was scooping both of them up. He looked at Akatsuki. "I won't sleep unless I know she's okay, so I'll take them with me so you can sleep. That way they'll still have a chaperone."

Akatsuki relaxed and nodded. "Okay. Thanks." She looked at the cats, then reached out and gently touched Purrcy on the head. She pulled her hand back a little, paused, then very cautiously reached out and patted Nyanta's head, surprising him. "It'll be okay. She loves you...very much."

Nyanta relaxed and smiled. "I know," he answered kindly. "Thank mew for calling for me."

Akatsuki nodded and Tetorō took them out of her room, letting her close the door behind them since his arms were full of cat. He carried them up the one flight of stairs to his room and put them on his bed, then climbed in with them. "Be good, Nyanta-san," he warned. "I do want to get enough sleep for tomorrow, too."

Nyanta flicked an ear at him. Tetorō glared at him. "Me too, Tetorō-kun," he answered, properly curling up with Purrcy and grooming her until she relaxed enough to fall back to sleep. He put his neck on her back and rested his head, tired now that the excitement was over. He was only partially aware of Tetorō curling around them both protectively, wrapping them in his arms now that the grooming was done. It felt warm and comforting.

-:-:-:-:-

There was movement within their little warm pile and a body extricated itself. A light thud on the floor from the body arriving there made the other two heads turn that direction, peeking over the edge. "Wher' ya goin', Purrcy?" Tetorō asked sleepily.

Her ear twitched and she looked over her shoulder at them. "One thing that being in a physical body has done is made me have to answer to the call of nature again, as annoying as that is." She continued towards the door, turning into felinoid as she reached it in order to open it.

Nyanta lept down from the bed and transformed as well. "I'll go with mew," he said.

Tetorō sat up in the bed and frowned. "Should I put a litter box in my room, maybe?"

Purrcy turned back and looked at him wide eyed in a bit of shock. Nyanta was immediately embarrassed. He turned back and chopped Tetorō on the head to wake him up, scowling at him. "What would we want that for?!"

Tetorō blushed on the back of his neck up to his ears and held up a hand. "Ah, sorry, I didn't mean --" He looked down in embarrassment, caving in on himself, his look going to sorrow and a bit of wistful loneliness.

Purrcy passed Nyanta, returning to the bed. She lept up on the bed as house cat and touched Tetorō's nose with hers. Nyanta couldn't believe she'd be willing to use a litter box in Tetorō's room just to appease the young man's fetish for keeping house pets. "Really, Purrcy, mew'll spoil him."

Purrcy froze, then sat upright with her back to Nyanta and her whole being went to one of complete dejection, her ears drooping and her head bowed, her tail listless on the bed. He blinked. Somehow he'd touched on a raw note. Finally she answered. "Yes, Nyanta. I spoil my sons, and very often my daughters as well." She slumped to the bed and tucked her nose into her arm. "Especially when they will give a face such as that one."

Nyanta's ears and everything went to concerned consternation. Tetorō panicked. "No, Purrcy, it's my fault. I said an unreasonable thing without thinking. I'm sorry." He was staring at her wide eyed, and looked up at Nyanta, the expression convicting him.

Nyanta walked back and changed unconsciously to his favorite size - half way between house cat and large cat. He lept back up on the bed and walked to her, his ears and tail down in apology. He bent down to her head and lightly breathed on her neck. She even smelled depressed. "I'm sorry, Purrcy. I know mew work very hard to see everyone is happy and doing their best. Anyone would want to help a face that looked like that, ...or that looks like mew."

Tetorō scooped her up in his arms and cuddled her. "Yeah. You know I'm weak and needy like that. But I don't expect anything unreasonable. I won't demand more than I should. Really!"

Nyanta put a front paw on Tetorō's shoulder and the other on his arm to look closely at Purrcy again and rubbed her head with his. In a bit of embarrassment he admitted, "Even I was warm last night." Tetorō looked at him in surprise, then scooped him up as well. Nyanta automatically shrank to fit. Tetorō scooted off the bed and headed for the door. He juggled them until they shrank a bit more, then opened the door and trotted over to the bathroom. Nyanta groomed Purrcy until she relaxed and laughed at them both just a little for being overly determined to cheer her up again.

Tetorō put her on the ground and opened the door for her. She looked up at them and didn't say anything, but she looked better. "We'll wait for you here," Tetorō said, still holding on to Nyanta for his own comfort. She nodded and went in, closing the door behind her. Tetorō turned and slumped back against the door frame with a sigh. "She's already got yesterday's punishment going 'round in her still, Nyanta-san," he scolded quietly.

Nyanta's ears were still apologetic. "I know, Tetorō-kun. It was unexpected, or I wouldn't have said it." He looked at the door. "I'll go next, then mew bathe while I talk to her. We'll stay here and wait for mew. I think mew should come down with us this meowrning." Tetorō nodded agreement. They waited quietly, Nyanta sitting up in Tetorō's arms until Purrcy exited the bathroom. Nyanta dropped down and traded places with her, Tetorō scooping her back up to cuddle and cajole her some more until Nyanta came back out as felinoid.

He held out his arms for cat Purrcy and Tetorō handed her over. "Be good," he admonished, then disappeared into the bathroom.

Nyanta took Tetorō's place, leaning against the wall. Purrcy changed to felinoid and leaned on him as he held her in his arms. "I know he said it without thinking. I was embarrassed and thought it purrhaps too offensive. I'm sorry I didn't trust mew would understand," he said repentantly. Purrcy buried her face in Nyanta's neck, hiding. He gently ran a paw over her ear and down the back of her head. "I really am sorry," he said. "Can mew forgive me? ...Will mew tell me about it? I'm listening."

Slowly she began to explain what raw nerve had been touched and walk through her difficult and tangled emotions. "I feel so weak and helpless, and I don't even know what to say or where to begin it. I got so worn down by his counter arguments whenever we talked about the kids that I just gave up talking unless it really mattered, and then it usually still fell on deaf ears. In the end, I was right and he was wrong, but it was too late. The kids had learned their patterns without him and all I could do was defend them from the worst of it and stand back and let him try to fix it on his own the best he could for the rest. That wasn't good enough for him." She shivered and Nyanta brushed her shoulder with his paw to let her know he was still there with her, listening.

"The reason he gave me for the divorce was because I was the problem and he wanted to be able to 'start new' training the kids without my 'bad influence' continuing to affect them." Her ears and tail drooped as dejectedly as they had on the bed at his words earlier. He started purring, softly. "I didn't know what to do. I already couldn't fight him, he already wouldn't see _he_ was the problem, that I was keeping them going the best I could. I wanted him to keep trying, but to work _with_ me. He'd closed down his ability to admit any mistakes on his own part long before." She shook with the internal tears now.

"He was taking them from me, and me from them, and there was nothing I could do. I'd been a married single-parent for so long, wishing he would walk with me, and now he was taking them from me, when he had no idea what their needs were, nor even how long it was going to take and the damage that would be done in the meantime. I'd begged him so many times to love the kids, even if there wasn't love left for me, and now he wasn't going to allow even me to love them. It hurt so bad, and I couldn't fight it. His words always won, whether in our personal conversations or when talking to people outside the family. I couldn't get my words to be heard the way he could, unless I was angry. Angry words are heard, but always judged poorly. I knew it would be a loss in court either way if I tried to contest it. ...I couldn't see a way to defend the people who needed it most - who I loved the most."

Nyanta held her as she cried her pain and grief, continuing to purr comfortingly. He'd known already he was going to have to help her with this from before, and this would not likely be the only therapy session they'd have. There was one difference - in their case, the client and therapist were allowed to tenderly care for each other, normally a taboo in the profession. "Purrcy...my favorite thing to watch is mew being such a good mother to the children of Log Horizon. They've been so much happier since mew have come to love them. Mew teach with gentleness and concern. It's easy to tell mew care about them and want to see them grow even stronger. I can tell mew learned to do this from caring well for meowr children there." He pressed her head to him in a slightly tighter hug. "It's okay to love meowr children." He kissed the top of her head and ran his paw down her back, petting her slowly.

It was obvious to him that she'd been trying to 'make up' for her perceived parental lack by becoming the Caretaker - the mother to everyone she possibly could think of. It wasn't necessary. She only needed to be the mother of her own children. That would be enough, but he would have to guide her to that understanding slowly. For today, it would be enough for her to be given permission to love them again. She was calming down now. When she finally lifted her face to look into his, he put a paw to her cheek, and looked into her eyes. "Purrcy, I'm so glad mew love the children of Log Horizon as much as I do. I also want to love meowr children as much as mew do, so I will love the mew who is their mother, who loves them." Her eyes slowly closed as he bent his head to kiss her gently, their lips lingering in sorrowful sweetness.

"Hey, that's not a private space there, really." They looked up, slowly, cat ears already having heard the footsteps. Michael was standing there looking at them with a bemused expression, holding his bathing supplies and a towel slung over his shoulder.

Nyanta could feel Purrcy smile. "We're waiting for Tetorō. Sorry we're interrupting the normal flow of things today."

Michael raised an eyebrow at them. "Waiting...?"

Nyanta pet Purrcy's head. "Purrcy had a night terror last night. Akatsuki-chan called for us and we managed to get her awake enough to go back to sleep, but we spent the rest of the night with Tetorō-kun. He's worried still."

Michael's eyes narrowed. "And so are you," he pointed out.

Nyanta acknowledged it. "It will lessen as we get the meowrning going," he said calmly.

Tetorō opened the door, still toweling his ear and hair. "Sorry to take so long," he said, "...and push everyone else's time back," he added, seeing Michael. He stepped out of the way so Michael could go in for his turn. "Good morning."

"Good morning," Michael answered him. "I caught them just before they were going to start making out. I think you're good." He gave Nyanta a look, then closed the door.

Nyanta flicked an ear in irritation, then released Purrcy as she stood up. "We were just making up," she said to Tetorō by way of explanation. "It was just a kiss."

Tetorō looked at her a little surprised, then patted her head with a smile. "That's good. I wasn't worried about that." His towel disappeared. "So, what are we making for breakfast?" he asked lightly.

Nyanta took Purrcy's hand in his paw and started them walking to the stairs. "I was thinking we should make pancakes, eggs, and bacon," he said casually. He knew it was her favorite breakfast from home.

Tetorō took hold of Purrcy's other arm and held it, like he would hold onto Naotsugu's. "That sounds great!" he answered back enthusiastically. "What part can I help with?"

They both looked at him. There wasn't an answer. Tetorō couldn't cook well enough yet for any of that. "Would you be willing to cut up some fruit this morning?" Purrcy finally asked him.

Tetorō's eyes lit up. "I'd love to," he answered.

"Okay, then. I'll teach you," Purrcy said kindly. They walked companionably down to the kitchen to begin the morning.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael wondered, not for the first time, why Purrcy had fallen for Nyanta. He found it rather difficult to fathom why a full-blooded American could settle for a Jap. Particularly one as silent as the guild chef. ...No, that wasn't it. Michael raised his head to let the rinse water wash the shampoo out of his hair. What he really wondered was why such a quiet Jap had been willing to let such a feisty, hot-tempered American woman talk him into accepting her and whatever her crazy plan was. On the outside the two of them seemed the quintessential stereotypes of their cultures. Him - quiet, even tempered, proper and polite. Her - wild, loud, overbearing almost to the point of rudeness. It was hard to see them as anything other than opposites. Sure...opposites attracted, but would that really work across cultures?

Michael scrubbed down, feeling it wake him up. He wondered if one or the other of them needed to be woken up before the rest of this day really happened. Taking this kind of step in this kind of place under these very strange circumstances - it wasn't a surprise Purrcy'd had a night terror. He blew out an unhappy breath. He wouldn't be able to do it, what they were doing. He was probably a decade younger than they were, but it was obvious they both had kids at home. Kids at home meant spouses, too. So far he'd left it alone. It wasn't his life to interfere with, but if she'd had a nightmare...was she really thinking straight, really consciously considering the full ramifications of what was going to happen next? Or was she just blindly escaping something? He wasn't sure he could, or even should, just stand by and let it happen. If she had problems at home, she'd only be adding to them, not to mention making more for Nyanta.

Of course, they could both be divorcees, in which case, more power to them to have found someone to give them the comfort and love missing from their lives, he supposed. He stood up for the final rinse and sighed. That was the problem with this place. You got to know someone pretty good for who the were on the inside, but you still didn't know enough not knowing their past, where they'd come from. That was the other reason he'd kept his mouth shut. But...a nightmare...a terror even. ...And she'd been unstable since returning anyway. They grounded pilots when they got this way because their judgment was too impaired to let them up in an expensive and deadly weapon. In Purrcy's case, she _was_ the deadly weapon.

He knew the guild was keeping her from exploding, and Shiroe had approved it, the wedding, but the rest of them didn't know why it was beneficial rather than neutral to harmful. Michael reached for his towel and began rubbing down quickly. The next set to need the bathroom were likely almost there now, since the rotation had changed. It wasn't really his business...but on the other hand...it really felt like it needed to be for him to not interfere when this afternoon came around. The guild before they'd come along was all Japanese, and they didn't understand Americans, not really. Maybe he should have done it before now, but as an American it was somehow his duty to make sure this wasn't a mistake before it happened. The question that begged was - how to go about 'interfering' without making a horrible mess of something that might just be beautiful and maybe even necessary. This was why people stayed out of other people's messes.

He opened the door to find four waiting on him. It wasn't because he took that long, it was because the pilots were all used to the locker-and-high-school-gym-style showers and kept to that habit in order for them to all get cleaned up properly and expeditiously. As a senior Naval officer, he got to go in alone as a privilege. He also didn't have to explain why the rotation got pushed. "We had a senior officer push us down. Tetorō went first today," he explained.

"We'll pass it down," came an answer and nod. Normally they had to wait for Tetorō to be done before they could clean the bathroom. The last set would be glad they could just clean up after themselves and be done.

"Sir," it was Brenner who shifted just a little uncomfortably, "this afternoon...?" Michael raised an eyebrow. As chaplain, Brenner probably was in the rights to ask about it. "Is it part of the politics, or the play?" As Michael considered his answer, Brenner stood up straighter and said a little more forcefully, "If they made covenants before God on Earth, are they standing right before Him now?" There were flickers of varying levels from the other three as well.

Michael stayed strongly relaxed, "Chappie, tell me something. ...How many of us have a right to know?"

The other three looked at each other, unsure, but Brenner considered it seriously. "I think," he said finally, slowly, "that those who are considered family need to know. It's the family that supports the couple who gets married, who witness to the wedding. Everyone else might know bits and pieces, and are witnesses to some degree, but...the family needs to know it's going to be okay, or needs to open their mouths and discourage it."

"My sister would have killed me for interfering in her relationship that way, Chappie," he replied calmly.

"And did the marriage work?" Brenner asked back softly.

"No."

Brenner nodded sadly. "My point. We all have gotten into this mindset that everyone should be left to do what they're going to do, but it doesn't work. We can't make people change, but we should warn them. Life would be better for all of us if we listened more to the advice of people who care and can see more than we can when we get myopic."

"Like Tetorō and I forcing a collar on her yesterday," Michael said dryly.

"Well...that was forcing, not advising, but I think you were worried about death's equivalent?" Brenner raised a wry eyebrow. "And marriage...well, it's life-long - a major commitment."

"They already know that," Michael answered.

Brenner paused, then said carefully, "Which is why it's even more important to make sure we can stand behind them or should wake them up. It's a very serious matter if they're already married at home."

Michael looked at his chaplain in silence for a bit, then nodded. "I'd already decided it. I'll bring it up."

Brenner relaxed and nodded. "Thank you, Sir."


	16. Purrcy's Final Solo Walk

Breakfast started out a rather quiet affair. That wasn't particularly odd, except that with this many people it only happened when there'd been a particularly late night that had everyone tired the next day. Touya had noticed, of course, Tetorō's early presence in the kitchen, and the tenderness in the way he and Nyanta had handled Purrcy and her lack of boisterousness, though she'd still been kind and welcoming as always. That had set the morning mood, though. There was a quiet tension in the Eagles, too, when they came down to set up for breakfast, and the ones in the kitchen had seemed oddly quiet as well. What Touya had passed on to Naotsugu before they sat down to eat was almost a warning.

Shiroe was carrying it, too. He'd been giving more glances to Purrcy than normal, with the look of trying to figure out her puzzle again mixed with concern. Akatsuki had come out with him and was sitting with the same atmosphere as the room: cool, calm, slightly tense. When Shiroe looked up at Naotsugu to begin the list of the day's activities, Naotsugu shook his head. Shiroe raised an eyebrow, then had his attention caught and his eyes slid around to Michael, at the far end of the table. Naotsugu turned to look at the third tank of the group, who normally kept his peace. He was looking directly into Shiroe's eyes, his whole body saying he was the one who was setting himself as the main defender of the morning. Naotsugu considered him, then looked back at Shiroe and nodded.

Shiroe looked surprised, then collected himself. In order to give himself time he inspected his plate one more time, made sure it was clean, drank from his cup, set it down while setting himself into a position of strength and defense at the same time, then looked back at Michael. "Michael, what's first this morning?" he asked calmly. Surprised heads turned to look down the head table at the Monk.

"I apologize for not bringing this up before today, but today's brought it up to the front." Michael started with. Shiroe nodded. Everyone understood that their lives as a guild moved rather fast sometimes. Sometimes you stood at the threshold of the next room and realized you hadn't thought of everything and needed to pause to make sure you were ready before you walked in. "I'm pretty sure you've already covered this base, but the rest of us need to be in the know, too, before we walk into this one, or we can't get behind it. It's too serious an issue to not understand from the get-go."

"What is it you, and everyone else, needs to know?" Shiroe asked. If it was brought up here, Michael felt it was whole-guild level, not just officer level.

Michael turned to Purrcy and Nyanta. "We all know you're married back home, and not to each other. Tell us why this is okay."

The room went very still. Purrcy's utensil had stopped and her eyes were wide and locked onto Michael. Nyanta had also gone very still. Slowly he looked up and into Michael's eyes. "At home, I am dead," he answered. "When I said goodbye to my wife and son at the hospital that evening, it was for the last time. I was playing _Elder Tales_ for the last time. When I fell asleep, they were going to remove me from life-support."

There was a clatter from the other side of the table and Minori's hands were at her mouth, tears coming into her eyes. The other three children were also looking stricken. Tetorō didn't look much better. Naotsugu gulped, trying to not let his own reaction show as much as possible. He certainly hadn't known, but he could see Shiroe had. He looked back at Michael. That seemed to satisfy him that much, but he was looking at Purrcy, waiting. Naotsugu looked back at her, too. She was sitting frozen, not knowing what to say.

"Purrcy," Michael said, "you manipulate and you run. We need to know if that's all it is. There are so many reasons for us to say no to this if your reason isn't good enough." He let the pressure off just a bit by looking down and sitting back a little. "My personal biggest worry is that there isn't a Japanese man alive who can handle the American wildcat you are. You'd be a handful for an American hellhound. But it also isn't right if you're just using it to escape." He looked at her again, judgmentally.

Purrcy took a deep breath, her ears going down unhappily. Tetorō and Nyanta both shifted and the room held its collective breath. Quietly Purrcy said, "I've had two years to think this through properly, Michael. I'm not using the marriage today as an escape. I used _Elder Tales_ to escape. The divorce papers are sitting on my desk waiting for me to sign, served to me the day before we were brought here, because he no longer believed me 'fit' to be the mother to his children, nor to be his wife. From the beginning, I was never able to meet his expectations and it was a mistake to marry him, but I didn't have the comprehension to understand it at first nor then the courage to leave. In this world, from your own words just now, I appear strong and willful. When I'm in that house, under that man, I am weak and powerless, unable to even open my mouth and when I do the very air swallows up my words and energy."

Purrcy's ears were now turned completely back and her eyes were nearly unseeing. "I'm already as dead there as Nyanta. I won't go back to being weak, silent, and suicidal. In this place, I will be strong and give Nyanta the support he needs to walk forward each day, and he has said he will teach me to be properly strong within myself again. I have not come to this day lightly, nor do I approach this afternoon with vapid rejoicing and flighty whims."

She turned away from Michael coolly. "And to address the other matter...Nyanta is a trained psychologist. I think he can handle anyone he wants to be able to handle just fine. I don't have any complaints to the contrary at the moment. Certainly having you and Tetorō around pick up any slack that might exist, though I suppose he might just kill you both if you try it again without letting him go first, particularly after this afternoon." She put food in her mouth and chewed on it, very obviously preventing herself from saying more.

Naotsugu swallowed. He was glad it was Michael who was standing in front of that boss. He would have taken heavy damage from those answers. It was bad enough to have taken the collateral damage. He looked at Nyanta. Nyanta was looking at Michael, and it was likely only Naotsugu and Shiroe knew what they were looking at, and maybe Purrcy since she'd already said it. Naotsugu turned and looked at Michael. Michael was considering the words he'd heard, his eyes on Purrcy, then they slipped to Nyanta. "This is real for the two of you."

Nyanta nodded, his eyes not leaving Michael. "From the beginning," he said softly, his most dangerous voice. Naotsugu shivered down his spine.

Michael sat back. "Anybody have any other questions or complaints?" he asked smoothly. "This is the time to let them out." Naotsugu blinked that Michael would have the audacity to open up the battle field to everyone else, as if calling in the rest of the team. He felt Purrcy's head come up and Nyanta stiffen. Worried, he looked over quickly as Purrcy stood.

Purrcy put her hand on Nyanta's shoulder briefly, giving him almost a quick smile, then she walked to stand in front of the tables of pilots. "It is right for the children to question the serious actions of their parents that will affect them, and for the concerned friend and ally to voice their reservations. I will listen." Nyanta blinked, then rose from his chair and walked to stand behind her, both to support her and to answer for himself as well. The men at those tables looked at each other, then began to say their piece.

Everyone at the officer's table who was Japanese looked at Michael, stunned. He smiled a small smile at them, a bit grimly perhaps. "I said it, didn't I?" he answered to them quietly. "She's American. As her American guardian, it's my responsibility to see that those things are addressed and understood."

"But...I already did?" Shiroe asked.

Michael shook his head. "She didn't have it firmly entrenched within herself until then. She needed - needs - to be able to defend it to others in order to be able to defend it to herself, and to her ghosts of the past." He paused, then leaned forward a bit. "It also needs to be defended right for the rest of us. We can't support them correctly, or at all, if we don't fully understand it. How can anyone follow someone who may or may not be being honest with themselves? It's important that we all believe in what they're doing as well, or understand that it's just play and politics. How we support them is different depending on the reasoning."

"And," he paused for some emphasis, "if it's really real, then it's all the more important. We spend too much of our time here viewing this as a game still and thinking about 'if we get home' or 'when we get home'. That doesn't fly for commitments like marriage for life - here or there. I may not have it right, but it seems to me that you all are habituated to just accepting what the adults say is going to happen and go along with it regardless. For us, that's not good enough."

Tetorō's fork went to the edge of his mouth. "Well, no, that's not really it. We know Shiroe's already made sure and we trust him. That's sufficient." He looked at Naotsugu from the corner of his eye. "I think it's the difference that we talked about before. Because each American is independent and casts their individual votes, they each have to have been heard and to hear for themselves. We're content to follow and trust the one who leads to have discovered it and taken care of it properly."

"Not that it hurts for us to hear it, too," Isuzu added. "We also like to know where things stand and how we're going to move forward. Even we will push to know things we feel we need to know to best support the path forward. Perhaps it's more a difference in which things matter to each culture."

Naotsugu nodded. That's what it felt like to him, too. It didn't hurt to hear what they'd said in their defense - except their pain was now everyone's pain - but the native Japanese hadn't needed to hear it, where it was obvious now that the Amercans did. Michael rubbed his chin, considering the point. Finally he nodded. "That would make sense. There have been times in the past you've all asked for clarifications we hadn't thought important for everyone, except in passing. I suppose this could be that in the reverse, though to us it's very important."

Shiroe scaled down from full battle alert to caution. "I can live with that. Each person even has things that are important to them that aren't to others. To have it express differently in disparate groups isn't too difficult to extrapolate." He sighed slightly, looking at the felinoid couple, "Though it does add one more layer of complexity to our guild that perhaps others don't have." He looked back mildly at Michael. "I'll expect you to continue to hold that position, then."

Michael relaxed slightly as well. "Roger, that," he said calmly. Nyanta and Purrcy returned to the main table shortly after. "CM/C?" Michael asked.

"No problems," came back the reply.

"Chappie?"

"Good to go."

Michael nodded, looking at Shiroe. "All set, then," he said calmly. Everyone else at the table relaxed, though perhaps there was still just a little bit of overall discomfort at the unexpected revelation of the differences between the groups.

Touya sighed. "I can't tell if it's like we all of a sudden have an entire group of older brothers, or like they're an entire ninja family that decided to swear fealty. They're so quiet most of the time then they suddenly spring up out of nowhere and demand something unexpected."

Michael smiled like all the men behind him were. "We're both, Touya, we're both. And we'll take ninja as a compliment." Akatsuki's eyes shone. She considered it one, too.

"That sounds like a very dangerous combination," Purrcy said. "A yakuza family that's had a ninja family attach to it. I can't imagine very many would be able to withstand that combination."

"Damn straight." No one knew where that came from, but suddenly everyone was laughing.

"Hah," Purrcy sighed as she recovered. She held out her free hand to Shiroe, the other holding Nyanta's paw tightly. Shiroe cautiously took her hand. She smiled at him. "It's good to know that there is strength in the house of Log Horizon. May it give you the wings to fly and to accomplish your goals, Shiroe."

He looked shyly at her. "Thank you, Hahaue. I'm looking forward to it."

She gave his hand a squeeze, then released him and sat back again to relax next to Nyanta. Shiroe turned to Naotsugu again, and this time he nodded. "Just waiting for orders," he said, like he said every morning that he hadn't already been given them. "And then I'll be standing in a tux this afternoon watching a good pair of friends get hitched." The smiles around the table this time were softer, and his own self felt content with how things stood this morning.

-:-:-:-:-

As they rose to leave the breakfast table, Purrcy was immediately flanked by waiting guards. Nyanta paused and pulled her to him. "Do mew remember what I said? At our last dinner before mew went to the moon?"

"Yes, Nyanta," she answered obediently. "I'll be there."

He studied her. "Don't run."

She shook her head slightly. "I won't." Her eyes looked soberly into his. Without looking away, she threw her arms around his chest. "I don't even want to leave your side today as it is. The last time they took me to Water Maple without you was traumatic."

Nyanta ran a paw down her cheek to her shoulder, then leaned in to whisper in her ear. "If mew want me, mew have to walk that gauntlet. Come beautifully regal, or mew'll sleep with Isuzu-chan tonight."

Purrcy's fur stood up on end and her breath caught. He lightly licked her cheek and gently pushed her to step away from her, then turned and walked into the kitchen without looking back. Purrcy stood frozen save for the tremors going through her until a bit of sound escaped - a short, quiet "mew". Her whiskers were stiffly standing out from her nose and her eyes were opened wide when she returned to herself. She took in a sudden breath and shivered from head to toe and her ears went from full forward to full back, though still upright. She took three deep breaths to center into the royal she was supposed to be this day, then turned to face her uniformed guards, hoping she could get fully settled by the time they arrived at Water Maple Manor.

She saw Michael first. He was looking at her rather severely, which wasn't what she was looking for. She quailed from him just ever so slightly and looked at Tetorō. He was looking at her soberly. She went with him anyway. Slipping her arm around his, she buried her head into his shoulder and shivered for three more breaths. When he moved slightly, as if to pull away, she held him tighter and immediately stopped shivering. "You'll help me today to be the Queen, Count Tetorō." It was an order. She lifted her head and the look she gave him was as severe as the look Michael was giving her.

Tetorō slipped his arm from her grip and bowed, his face still showing nothing. "Yes, Joō Heika." It was said with the cool detached voice of the aide he was. He gestured for her to move, but she paused just long enough to put her eyes on the other two guards waiting on her. Today it was Clocktower (known also by his placement in the squadron as M/MControl) and OciferJeff (known in the squadron as Armament and who's purposeful misspelling of his name made her OCD editing streak twitch). Her eyes went hard and turned to Michael. "There are only two," she accused him.

Michael bowed his head slightly. "The other two are already outside ensuring that your arrival in the street will be secure."

"Who is it?" she asked.

"Avionics and Electrical."

She pursed her lips. "I'm 'high Maintenance' today, am I?"

In a completely respectful tone he answered, "Always, Your Majesty."

Purrcy raised her nose and swept through the two men. Clocktower and OciferJeff turned and led her to the door. She readjusted her pace to allow them to be in the front, then took one more long deep breath and changed out her clothes to be proper "traveling" clothing for the day. The long skirt of a tightly woven wool was a golden brown and the sleeveless bodice matched it. The underblouse was a pine green with standard long sleeves so they wouldn't get in the way. On her feet were stockings and brown boots, and on her head was a tam of green with fine gold stripes.

"You'll keep the magic to a minimum today, Heika," Tetorō scolded mildly.

"Yes, Tetorō-dono," she answered calmly. The collar - a short necklace today - had briefly colored up to a green-yellow from the yellow-green that had been allowed as her normal resting maximum. She'd created the clothing on the spot to match her whims, but then, she usually did. It was easier than trying to carry a wardrobe around with her.

As they exited the building, Michael offered her his arm and she took it, needing his strength on the inside, which was still trembling. She couldn't get her heart to slow down, for all she had finally gotten the exterior to settle down. Her breath kept coming too fast as well, so having Michael to steady her walking helped. Since she didn't want him going cold, she did her best to overcome the internal wavering as quickly as possible, finally deciding external focus would be better. Her mind kept going to the night's potential nuptial activities, which was completely distracting her in a way that wasn't helpful at all. "Tetorō-dono, tell me the detailed itinerary as we go."

Respectfully he answered from her other side, "We'll arrive at Water Maple Manor approximately a half-hour before the other bridesmaids so that you have time to greet the Princess' family. Then we'll be in seclusion in her chambers for the time to prepare them and yourself for the wedding ceremony."

He'd taken a breath to continue, but her eyes had turned to pierce him. "If we're there until that long, when will the two of you change?"

He nodded in understanding. "We've been offered a secondary room to change in when the time is closer."

She sniffed. "Plan on allowing time for me to see you two are also properly inspected, then. I'll at least have that much, though I'd rather inspect all of the participants before it begins."

"Kokuō Heika has said he'll handle that himself," Tetorō answered calmly.

"Very well," she settled. Shiroe would likely be more stringent on them than she would. "Ah, and will he be by to inspect myself as well?"

"We'll arrive a half-hour early at the wedding location to wait in a bower. He'll come and inspect everyone at that time." Tetorō didn't sound too thrilled by the prospect, though he kept most of it out of his voice. Tetorō knew Shiroe was worse, too.

Purrcy nodded. "See that the ladies understand they must meet his perfect standards, then, before we begin."

"Yes, Heika," he answered quietly, but still calmly.

"The collar...it won't work as the crown. What do you intend for today?"

There was a pause as Tetorō inspected her. "I think earrings, but if it doesn't work then we may move it to bracelet."

Purrcy looked out of the corner of her eye at him. "Make it an anklet and add an internal visual link to it."

He looked back at her, confused. On her other side, Michael looked over and asked mildly, "The probationary house arrest monitor, is it?"

Purrcy tipped her head and Tetorō's face cleared, though he looked just a little sad. She ignored it. It was too late for him to regret what he'd already done. Her hold on Michael's arm did tighten for a moment, though and she had to take another deep breath to not become angry on top of everything else, and then it took letting the tail twitch in a spiral curl to not let it go to depression. Her ears twitched next and she scowled. "Really. It's too much all in one day. Are we going to have time to off-load some of this?" she demanded.

"Yes, Heika," Tetorō answered calmly. "There should be some time before the bridesmaids arrive for you to commiserate with the Princess."

She immediately settled down in relief. She wouldn't have been able to do it in front of Rieze, but with Princess Raynessia it was possible. Purrcy was a bit surprised when Tetorō settled a little more after she did. He must have been worried the Princess wasn't going to be sufficient. Purrcy wondered who'd thought of it, then looked around. "Akatsuki's coming later, too?" she asked.

Tetorō's ears turned a faint shade of pink. "Akatsuki-dono will come later with the ladies from Crescent Moon." She watched him and his eyes went to the ground. Finally he admitted, "She thought you could use the time with the Princess."

Purrcy mulled that one over. Akatsuki was sometimes surprisingly astute, but then she considered the Princess as a friend, so she would know things about Raynessia that would go a little deeper than most. Purrcy gave a brief nod. "I'm grateful," she said quietly. Tetorō didn't let it get him down too much after that, going back to aide, on alert but more relaxed finally. Purrcy looked at the guards in front of her and had to bite back a desire to tease them. She needed them to be strong too, but she didn't want to get into trouble. Instead she inspected their uniforms to see if they'd modified them in finer detail now that they could.

She clicked her tongue and made Michael stop, while glaring at the backs of the guards in front of her. He quietly called them back. Purrcy let go of his arm and motioned for OciferJeff to step closer to her. He raised an eyebrow, but stepped forward. She looked over the front of his uniform carefully. "When you're modifying the front, you have to remember to modify the back. If you can't get it right because it's on you, ask someone to inspect the back and tell you where." He flushed slightly and she motioned for him to turn around. He did so. "Watch me inside," she said and glanced at his partner, then dipped inside and swept all of the Eagles up to sit around them.

"Here," she lit up a seam, "and here. When you modify the front, you have to account for the changes that will pull or sag on the back." She fixed the code on OciferJeff's uniform so that it hung more smoothly. "Work in pairs so you get it right. OciferJeff, watch while Michael does Clocktower's so you understand, too." She waited for Michael to correct Clocktower's, though it took a few tries to get it just right. "If you don't like how it fits now, you have to modify front and back seams until the fit is right. Clothing isn't as simple as you think. There's a reason it's a crafter's work. Just because I bypassed the crafters for this, to get the higher stats and bonuses, that doesn't mean you don't have to work at it. That's why you have the code. It will teach you a finer hand than you've worked up to until now."

Clocktower blinked at her. "Is everything from you a lesson, Ma'am?" he asked, though politely.

"Yes," she answered back with practicality. "I much prefer complexity to simplicity. It saves time."

"That sounds rather backwards," Michael said wryly, "but for her it works."

"They weren't correct, and will have to spend time fixing it now last minute," Tetorō scolded. "How does that save time?"

Purrcy blinked at him. "It saves my time. If I can give them a test, and an education, at the same time as I give them a gift that protects them, I've done three things in one package that I don't have to think about again except to grade and correct. There's only one of me, you know. I'll know you've all learned a light touch when you can sneak up on me at night, inside. Then we might be able to finally graduate the lot of you." She paused and looked down and let a little swirl of chaos blow through them all. "Ah, though, you should be careful to not interrupt at a time the Consort would become angry during."

"Ma'am, yes Ma'am!" She dismissed them and returned, then made Michael turn around and let her inspect his backside.

When he turned back to look at her, he smiled. "It obviously didn't need modifications to begin with."

She sighed at him and held out her hand for his arm again. "You still aren't light enough yourself, though." She had to grab at the back seam of her bodice and rethread it magically. "And that will get you into a lot of trouble," she scolded.

"Always wanted to do it once, though," he said with calm mocking.

She clicked her tongue at him and turned her head away haughtily. "Shall I have Akatsuki introduce her knee to you? It will be safer than the alternative."

He flushed. "No, that's alright. I'll pass."

Tetorō looked like he was trying to decide if he was covering a laugh or horror. He finally rubbed his hand over his head and sighed. "If you'll say he passed the test, I won't have to tell Nyanta-san."

She sniffed. "Fine. Michael's gotten lighter, but it hardly counts as passing a test, since I watched him do it." She suddenly got serious. "Actually, both of you, you're ready for the next level. When can we meet? I'd like it to be very soon."

"Meaning you'd do it right now if we weren't already walking somewhere with a large goal in mind," Michael looked at her knowingly.

"Yes, of course, so put a better date and time on it so I can forget it until we get there," she agreed quickly.

Tetorō, the keeper of her schedule, looked at his internal copy of it, then passed a few options over to Michael. Michael paused, considering, then looked at Purrcy. "Can we have the guys sit and watch us so they can be learning at the same time?"

Purrcy paused. It had merit, but... "If we do it like we did the teaching before. They can see the general and lower level things, but there are specific things I'm not ready to let out to others just yet. Either we need to do them at a smaller time increment so they can't see it at all, or we'll have to move into a space that can't be monitored."

"We can do lock-boxes pretty good now," Tetorō said, "but we're not to smaller time increments yet." A little wrinkle was on his brow. Purrcy just glanced at him, but didn't say anything. She ignored Michael's speculative look.

Michael looked up at the sky when she wouldn't answer to it and considered, then picked a date and time that Tetorō put on her schedule. She tucked her notated thoughts away until the early morning of that date, when she would review her daily schedule.

-:-:-:-:-

Avionics and Electrical arrived behind their little group as they neared Water Maple, and Purrcy - surprisingly to all of them but perhaps Tetorō - relaxed even more, as if she'd been hunching her shoulders against the cold but now she had a coat on. They made note of that fact, deciding that perhaps six would be a better number to watch over her. That would give them four with her and two on hidden watch. They were actually still trying to figure out _why_ they were necessary, other than she liked to role-play. Having her relax like that made them wonder if there was an underlying insecurity, but not much else about her spoke to that.

The majority of the squadron was following her today, since they had to go that way anyway to make sure the wedding site was secure. Six had stayed at the guild hall to come with the King and Consort as their hidden guards, since they would have the majority of the officers of the guild with them openly. Two had been specifically assigned to watch over the bridesmaids who would be coming from Crescent Moon with Akatsuki. They liked Akatsuki quite a bit and she'd become the official unofficial mascot. And of course the fiancée of the guild CM/C for sure ranked high enough for an escort.

Given that Purrcy had swept them all up in the code realm to give them the quick lesson, then released them just as suddenly, they were also not quite sure why knowing she had that many with her that weren't seen wasn't enough to make her relax. Finally Life Support asked, on the sub-guild chat, "Is it just today, or is it normal?"

The list of observations to that time came back. "Likes to have her back covered." That was obvious from that morning, of course. "Looks for us if we get too far out, or less than about four." "Doesn't like this many, usually, but today seems different in that." They'd already learned things like how close they could get to her and how close she'd follow behind them. Figuring out her more detailed boundary lines became the next new study topic of the group.

-:-:-:-:-

As the first time Purrcy had been to Water Maple, two guards (Avionics and Electrical) stayed on the front door to review anyone who went in or out. An additional four staked out the other entrances and sections of the manor. The remainder went on to the wedding site. Clocktower and OciferJeff stood guard on the door to the receiving room while Tetorō and Michael stood with Purrcy as she perched on a chair to wait. Her ears and tail flicked lightly, but at the most on the exterior that appeared as excitement for her wedding day.

Duke Sergiad was the first one to arrive to welcome Purrcy to the manor. Purrcy rose to meet him, holding out both of her hands to takes his. She kissed both of his cheeks lightly. "Good Morning, Lord Sergiad. I hope you've been enjoying your time at the festival since I last saw you."

He was looking just a little stunned. "Oh, I'm sorry," she paused, blinking. "It's a common greeting between friends and close acquaintances where I'm from. I tend to fall into it when I'm particularly pleased to see someone. I won't again if it bothers you."

He pinked up slightly, releasing her hands, though one lingered long enough to press one of hers warmly. "No, no. I understand. I'm pleased to be able to greet you again as well. I enjoyed being able to visit with you and Lord Nyanta when we arrived. We've been greatly enjoying getting to see Akiba during its festival time. It's quite lively." His eyes sparkled.

Purrcy smiled back. "Yes, there is quite a bit of excitement in the air, isn't there? I'm afraid I've been quite affected by it myself, particularly today."

"Well," he smiled slightly, his eyes crinkling up, "I should think that today you're particularly so for your own personal reasons as well. We are quite looking forward to celebrating with you this afternoon."

"Thank you," Purrcy demurred, looking down properly. "It's been postponed quite long enough, I should think," she looked back up at him with a kind smile. "Ah! I was wondering, may we be given to know Rundelhaus Code's status these days? We'd rather not unexpectedly offend. We've become quite fond of him and his enthusiasm and he will be present as well, as part of the household."

Duke Sergiad's face went a bit guarded and his eyes measured and calculated. Purrcy kept her look completely neutral and expectant for the answer to her question. "Are you fully aware of his family's status?" Sergiad asked.

"He's preferred to keep silent on the matter," Purrcy said honestly. "High breeding can't be hid, however. It's obvious he comes from a noble house."

Sergiad almost sighed and he considered how to answer. "How is he when he's here?" the Duke finally asked.

"He's conscientious about not giving offense, takes pride in his heritage as a Person of the Land, and works very hard to be obedient to Shiroe. He gets along well with the children of the guild who've taken him in as one of them and see he is both kept in line and is supported. They would defend him as a friend, if it was necessary. What I've been able to gather from his outside activities is that he is most concerned that all People of the Land are protected by whatever efforts he can provide from where he has found himself. However, he hasn't allowed that desire to cause him to betray the Adventurers either, feeling a kinship with them now as well to some degree, though he also finds them often unfathomable and confusing. I've tried to give him a little bit more of an anchoring in what he knew from before and he seems to have forgiven me for interfering in the guild when I first arrived, bringing some small chaos with me." Purrcy watched the Duke's reactions to her open assessment. He seemed to find some relief from the report.

"Well, ...I don't think there would be any unnecessary concern to having him present at your wedding when he's part of the household," Sergiad allowed. He looked at her pointedly. "It hasn't been brought up before now."

"No," Purrcy said calmly, "I shouldn't be surprised. The guild has been lacking a mother until now. It is my place to be concerned. I've felt it must be, that is, because I can tell that the guild wouldn't take kindly to having an adopted son be taken from them at this point. It would be best to understand earlier than later what the intent was in allowing him to come to Akiba. You don't have to tell me, if you don't wish to, but you should at least be clear with Shiroe so that he understands and can inform you of his decision in the matter. Then he can let me know to what extent my position needs to be in the matter as well."

"You'll accept him to that extent?" Sergiad asked cautiously.

"They already have, Lord Sergiad. Adventurers love easily, particularly the children of their comrades. You lost him to them when he died the first time. If you, or any member of his family, wish to have him back, it will be a hard battle to win, I think." She looked at him significantly, then stepped around him to greet Raynessia, extending her hands and giving her the kisses on the cheek as well, as she'd done once before. "Good morning, Princess. Thank you for greeting me this morning. I was hoping you and I might have a few moments alone before the rest arrive, if you're willing?"

"Certainly, Lady Purrcy," Raynessia answered, a bit of a light coming to her eyes. She turned and curtsied. "Grandfather. Good morning."

"Good morning, Raynessia," he answered kindly.

Purrcy gestured to Michael. "I don't believe you've had the opportunity to meet the captain of the guard. This is Commander Michael. He'll be with us today as well as Lord Tetorō."

"Pleased to meet you," Raynessia curtsied slightly to Michael, to be polite in front of her Grandfather, and Michael bowed properly to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet the Princess Raynessia," Michael said politely. He turned and bowed to Sergiad. "It's also a pleasure to meet the Duke Maihama."

"Sir Michael comes to us as one of the few knighted Adventurers from our home, Lord Sergiad," Purrcy said calmly. "We're fortunate that he is willing to lend us his strength and the strength of his household and has joined with Log Horizon."

Sergiad looked at Purrcy with a slightly confused look. "But you said that nobility is not considered in your homeland?"

Purrcy smiled benignly, "I also said we are _all_ princes and princesses. Due to his own efforts and the acclaim of those who knew him well, he was awarded specific honors and recognition." She waved a hand. "I'm sorry we're still very confusing, but I did want to let you understand at least that one point - we do have a 'real' knight in our midst." She smiled at Michael, who soberly tipped his head at her, 'thanking' her for the recognition. She turned back to Raynessia, looking at her expectantly.

Raynessia curtsied to her grandfather again. "Grandfather, we'll take our leave now." Sergiad tipped his head in acceptance.

"It was good to see you again this morning, Sergiad," Purrcy said politely to him and followed Raynessia out the door, Tetorō and Michael following her out and the other two guards falling in as well. She really wished she could stay as a fly on the wall and watch his expression when it relaxed.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy sank down onto the foot of Raynessia's bed, already tired. "Raynessia, can I borrow one of your pairs of flannel pajamas and take a nap before everyone gets here? I'll give you permission to join me." It was almost a whine and Purrcy's ears fell in embarrassment. Raynessia's eyes went wide. "I'm sorry to have to make you get dressed up just to come and get me, when we'll all be changing again shortly. There wasn't anything for it, though. I knew your grandfather would come see me first." She looked up at Raynessia and said in a rather dead tone. "I hope I've left him with enough new thoughts to occupy him until the wedding. He does seem to enjoy gnawing on puzzles."

Raynessia blinked, then hid a smile behind her hand. She walked over to the bed and sat down next to Purrcy. "You certainly do present to him many new things to consider in a way he finds appealing and comprehensible," Raynessia admitted.

Elissa moved and Purrcy's eyes caught the movement and her gaze pierced the maid. "Pull out the flannels, one pair for each of us, or I shall really completely fall apart before everyone gets here."

Elissa stood stunned for a moment, her eyes not quite glancing towards Tetorō and Michael who had both entered the room and were standing on watch inside, Clocktower and OciferJeff having stayed outside the room to guard the door there. Purrcy turned her head away from the two guards, a look of distaste on her face. "Begging your pardon, ma'am, but...it isn't really proper," Elissa said.

"Regardless," Purrcy said flatly. "These won't be the clothes we end up in anyway. It's only our friends who are coming, and they already know neither of us like to dress up. Why can't I at least attempt to be relaxed somewhat before I must be on such high display I'm likely to not even remember the event?"

Raynessia blinked, but looked like she completely understood. She looked at Elissa. "Surely it can't hurt for at least a little while this morning," she agreed. In the face of both noblewomen, Elissa finally relented and went to the wardrobe to collect two sets of pajamas, sighing to herself on the way. Raynessia reached out a hand and put it on Purrcy's hand. "For all you want to change, though, your walking outfit is very handsome on you. Is the necklace a gift from your Lord Husband?"

Purrcy wrinkled her nose in distaste. "No." She waved at the two standing on the wall. "It's a limitation imposed by my guards as of yesterday. It isn't really a necklace, but a collar meant to restrain." Her ears fell and she rose to follow Elissa to the privacy of the changing screen.

Raynessia followed after her, slightly wringing her hands. When they were behind it, Raynessia whispered, "Can they do that?" Her eyes were worried.

Purrcy put away her clothing and Elissa and Raynessia were both slightly distracted to see she really was mostly cat underneath. Purrcy gestured to Elissa, who started and selected out one article of clothing and held it up for Purrcy to put on. When she got to the pants, she stopped and blinked in consternation. Purrcy patted her head. "I'm the 'magical cat' remember? Just put it on." She looked at Raynessia. "You remember how much magic I did last time with everyone?" Raynessia nodded. "Watch the necklace," she said and stepped into the pant legs.

When they were pulled up, she wrote then cast the tail spell that let her tail out the back and that would be temporary for only as long as she wore the pajamas. The gems went from yellow-green to yellow, then subsided back again. She grimaced at Raynessia. "They've decided I do too much magic for my own good just as a matter of course and have put the collar on so they can tell when and how much I'm doing." Elissa pursed her lips and looked like she agreed it was likely a necessity. Raynessia looked sympathetic, however.

As Elissa moved to undress Raynessia again, looking rather unhappy to be wasting her original effort, Raynessia moved to let her in a bored fashion. "I'm afraid I'm rather distracted by it, actually," Purrcy admitted. "Tetorō rather rudely told me to run, then I was chased to ground by all of Sir Michael's squires - all twenty-three of them - and my own fiancée, and had it forced on me by the two of them without them even asking if I'd be willing to run or accept it." Raynessia looked properly horrified. Purrcy drooped. "They didn't even ask me politely beforehand to please not be quite so busy. Surely it would have been proper form to have at least asked first?"

Raynessia sighed. "I'm sure that would have been proper," she agreed sympathetically. Then timidly she added, "But...aren't you a little...difficult?"

Purrcy quirked up one side of her mouth. "I'm sure I'm more than a little difficult, Raynessia, but still...." Elissa had finished dressing Raynessia and Purrcy grabbed the Princess' hand and pulled her back out to the bed and into the middle of it. When the Princess was sitting, Purrcy lay down and put her head on Raynessia's lap. "Would you be willing to pet me for a bit?" she asked. "Maybe by the time the others come I'll be done feeling sorry for myself, that way. I really am having a hard time facing the rest of today, when marriage is yet another restraint, for all I love Nyanta."

Raynessia hesitantly raised a hand and put it to Purrcy's head. At the softness of her fur, Raynessia slowly pet her head, then gradually became lost in the soothing pattern. "Do...do you really like this?" she finally asked.

"Mhm," Purrcy nodded, already sleepy. "The cat in our world very much likes to be pet, and I enjoy it. It's very soothing, both to the cat and to the one petting it. The others won't be surprised to see us, but if you're uncomfortable with it, you can stop when they come." Raynessia didn't answer to it, merely continued to think her own non-thoughts and pet Purrcy's head. Purrcy fell into a light cat nap, glad to have a moment to not-think herself, and to be with another female who understood such things. She'd really had too much 'male' in her life lately.


	17. Perfectionistic Preparations

Rieze looked at the guards on the main door of Water Maple Manor. She sighed to herself. Shiroe was still keeping Purrcy on a short leash. She suspected today it was an even shorter one. Given Purrcy's insane capabilities, it made sense, but couldn't a woman at least enjoy her one big day? "Have the dresses arrived yet?" she asked the one on the left.

"No. They're about to leave Shopping District 8, however, and should be on the way soon," came the prompt, polite reply. She nodded and went on into the house and announced herself to the butler, who bowed and led her towards Raynessia's rooms.

She didn't need to wonder why the guards knew things that were going on at a far distance from the manor. They were as good a team as her own, since she'd trained them. Of course, they came trained, so had been a joy to have on the field. They were closed mouth about where they came from, other than Minami. She still wasn't quite sure if they followed Purrcy or Shiroe, but it was obvious they followed HackerM1, aka Michael, and guarded Purrcy more than anyone else. At least it was obvious now that Purrcy was back in town. Things were still going on that weren't quite fathomable, but now that they'd come out with the truth of Purrcy's background, or at least what portion they were willing to share so far, it made a little more sense.

The bi-city council meeting had gone very different from what she'd expected, actually. They'd talked meta-level. More than peace negotiations or increasing personal relationships, it had turned out to be a discussion of Shiroe's favorite sort. That being, how they were going to help all Adventurers return home. He'd first gotten the buy-in that everyone, in the main, should at least have the right to go home, and that finding that way home should have a very high precedence of effort applied to it. From there, he hyper-focused everyone on how they could get it going at a better rate and what each city was going to do to help.

Akiba was going to focus on getting the gates functional since they had the most Hackers as it turned out. Minami would focus on the communications towers, since they had the greater number of Communication mages. The research departments of both would work together on the fairy rings, given they were the most difficult to calculate. There had been some discussion of mutual function and free trade at the end, but it had been more of a side note than Rieze had expected. More just an agreement they would continue to work together like they'd started out with the recent changes in Minami.

The opening part of the meeting had been the most eye-opening locally, though swept under the rug quickly by the rest of the meeting. Having Shiroe and Purrcy finally explain that Purrcy had been the 'boss' Vengeful Spirit had been a slight relief. Purrcy had been properly grateful to everyone, too. To have a borrowed body seemed a little strange and how that body had managed to look just like her was a bit of a puzzle, but really, the brain had to puzzle out so many things about Purrcy that particular one was shunted to the side in favor of the the ones that mattered more. It was also relieving that the Purrcy who had come to Water Maple before was still the one who would be here again. Dean of the Academy was slightly surprising, though somehow the thought made one resigned. They'd already known she was a Hacker, though the Class TechnoMage was new and unusual, and so far unexplained. Seeing her true level was also disconcerting. Those were probably things that everyone was most concerned about. Learning she was old hadn't been all that much a surprise, really, and no one was holding it against her. Knowing she was an ally to Shiroe, and therefore the rest of them, was relieving. It was always nice to know that the big guns were on their side. (Game Moderators had always been considered 'big guns' when they were needed.)

How Nakalnad could have even had the words pass his mouth that Purrcy was "controllable" was astounding. It had to be because he had no idea of what her true self was like. Shiroe's defense of her, or perhaps rather of the city as a whole, had been fierce, but not unwarranted. For all Purrcy kept saying that they all needed to work together, the guildmasters still secretly believed she could take down pretty powerful enemies on her own. They'd all, by tacit agreement, decided to see how Shiroe used her in his schemes and plans. The one thing that hadn't been talked about at that meeting, also by mutual agreement, was the fact she'd come out as the owner of Venture Enterprises at the fashion show, even if she and Shiroe hadn't confirmed it themselves. Akaneya, Woodstock, and Calasin had already confirmed it in personal conversations around the edges. In the end, Marielle said it best after the joint council meeting - outside of Purrcy's hearing, of course. "I _knew_ she was a strict Hahaue. But, still...she cares and is doing her best for all of the Adventurers, just like Shiroe-kun."

Thinking these thoughts, Rieze only slightly raised an eyebrow at Purrcy's guards on Raynessia's door. They knocked and let her into the bedroom. She scanned the room with her usual dungeon instincts, and was immediately just a little wary. Tetorō was standing formally on the wall - not normal. HackerM1 was also. Very much not normal, though perhaps understandably formal given the day's activities. It was seeing Purrcy sleeping in Raynessia's lap, being pet, that was the most incomprehensible. The Caretaker, the Game Moderator of Yamato, and strongest Adventurer known to two Adventurer city's councils being the lap cat of a young Person of the Land princess was really not acceptable was it? She looked back at Tetorō, the incomprehension on her face.

Tetorō's face fell to look both sorrowful and apologetic and he left the wall to approach Rieze. "Shiroe demands perfection today, Rieze. From the beginning to the end. We brought her early so she could relax before it began. The festival's been hard for her."

Rieze remembered that Purrcy'd said the last time that she was a solo who rarely came into town and it made sense. In a city with twice the number of people in it as usual, and a corresponding higher level of activity - and whenever she'd come out she'd been made the center of attention, including today - it did make sense she'd need to have a bit of a time out. "Perfection, huh?" Rieze asked. "When has she not ever given that for him?"

Tetorō shook his head. "Never has she wavered in public. We hope she can hold it through today as well."

Rieze looked back over. "But...why Raynessia? Why not you?"

Tetorō sighed unhappily. "I had to be one who was severe with her yesterday, so I'm not acceptable today. And today I have to stay strong so she can stay strong." He looked pleadingly at Rieze. "I'll be counting on all of you today."

Rieze sighed just a little. "Is she really as spoiled as she sounds?"

"Yes," Tetorō answered apologetically. "But she understands it and tries her hardest. Likely she'll wilt in the face of Shiroe if he even furrows his brow today."

Rieze nodded her head. "We'll handle it, Tetorō."

"Thank you," he said relieved and moved to the bed. "Purrcy, they're arriving," he said formally and politely, yet slightly forcefully. "It's time to ready yourself to receive them." Purrcy's ear flicked.

Raynessia looked up and saw Rieze and froze slightly. "Ah, welcome Rieze," she said humbly. "I'm sorry I didn't come for you." Purrcy's eyes were suddenly wide open and she lifted her head, then pushed up to sitting.

Rieze moved to stand closer to the bed and Tetorō returned to the wall. "No, I let myself in as usual and just asked the butler to bring me back. The clothes are on their way and the others should be arriving soon as well." Her eyes went to the necklace around Purrcy's neck, which didn't go with the flannel pajamas at all. "Spending time escaping from the responsibilities?" she asked both princesses.

Raynessia flushed in embarrassment, but Purrcy moved smoothly to the edge of the bed. "Of course. Moments it's even possible are so infrequent that sometimes they have to be made." Completely unapologetic, as usual.

Rieze sighed to herself. Sometimes Raynessia's humility was annoying, but at moments like this it was almost preferable. It was even more frustrating that she couldn't fault Purrcy for taking the time to herself. "Well, when it's used to good effect to be able to be proficient when responsibility should properly be shouldered, then I suppose one can't complain too strenuously."

Purrcy rose to her feet gracefully, her tail moving in a slow wave. "Thank you, Rieze," she said quietly, then moved towards the changing screen. "What would be most appropriate to wear while we're working and not yet ready for the dress?" she asked.

Rieze looked at her calmly. "Nothing. We're going to brush you down completely until you shine from top to bottom, then we'll go from there." She had to hold firm against Purrcy's baleful silent glare, but she did anyway until Purrcy nodded once and disappeared behind the changing screen. She came back out wearing nothing but her fur only a minute later, though she had a delicate anklet with yellow-green stones on it instead of a necklace. Rieze could only assume she'd been told she had to wear it that day. The women all gave bare acknowledgement of the men in the room, then ignored them from then on.

Elissa stepped into the room from another door. "The bath is drawn, Lady Rieze."

"Very good," Rieze answered and motioned for Purrcy to walk before her. Elissa motioned for Raynessia and together they all went into the bathroom. Rieze pulled Purrcy to a stool and made her sit on it. Then together she and Elissa proceeded to wash Purrcy until she smelled only of perfumed soaps and the water ran clear. Raynessia practiced being a princess by keeping the small talk going for Purrcy to keep her attention on other things.

When they were done, they took to rubbing Purrcy down vigorously with towels until her fur was only lightly damp. Then they took her back out into the main bedroom. The others had arrived and set up a chair in the middle of the room by that time, with tools of the feminine trade scattered all around them. Nazuna, Marielle, and Henrietta all welcomed Purrcy, and Rieze was pleased Purrcy just as nearly warmly welcomed them in return. Akatsuki looked at Purrcy very closely, then glanced at Tetorō, then Rieze, then nodded her head and settled down herself to watch. This would be lesson time for her. Raynessia sat next to Akatsuki, since she also wouldn't be of any help in preparing the bride.

Elissa held up an oval brush that slipped over her hand with a strap to hold it into place. "Princess Raynessia wishes to gift the brush set to the Lady Purrcy," she said politely. She didn't say it was a modification of a horse curry brush, since that would have been rude, but it was perhaps obvious enough. She walked over and began to brush Purrcy's fur from the top and worked her way down. Henrietta spelled her out for the middle third and Marielle took the lower third. There was a lot of fur to get shiny after all. The tail was tricky as it kept wanting free. Nazuna finally took over for that, understanding completely the problem. Her lighter hand helped to settle the tail and Purrcy's unhappy ears, but Purrcy didn't complain even once.

Rieze walked to stand in front of Purrcy. She folded her arms and frowned. "It's a bit difficult, since we can't do up your hair, or put on the normal makeup. You don't even have lips to rouge. We've been thinking hard about what to do. Normally we'd paint the face, hands and arms to be as white as possible, but you've already been a ghost once. We don't need to try to replicate it today. The other hard part is we usually charcoal outline the eyes rather heavily, but you're already black in coloring. It's just not easy to put makeup on a cat, in the end. I've been experimenting with white powder, though, and I think I've worked out an acceptable solution. Please close your eyes and hold still. Try not to breathe in too much of the dust."

She pulled out the first of her tools and the powder from her item list, opened the powder, and dipped her large makeup brush into it and began lightly powdering Purrcy's face. She'd been practicing on some of the other felinoids in her guild until she found a combination of light over the dark she liked. The full white had looked so much like a mask that it really hadn't worked as far as beauty went. Humans had the hair as a division to frame the face. Short hair felinoids like Purrcy had a whole head that had to be dealt with, only the ears on top of the face being a boundary. So, the whole head got powdered, all the way down the neck to the shoulders, front, and back. The powder itself wasn't going to turn her white, either. On the black Purrcy that would have been very difficult. Instead she was going for a sparkling silvery grey that accentuated rather than made her look ancient with age - though that wouldn't have been all bad either since it could have looked distinguishing. Rieze just didn't want to offend Nyanta with a perceived slight against his and her ages.

Putting the powder finally on Purrcy herself was interesting. Her face and head weren't completely black, after all. She was speckled with the gold, white, and grey, though the white was very understated on the face. Rieze focused most of the powder on the darker areas and tried for a smooth transition of tones to the face and head as a whole until it looked like she was just veiled, without having her head covered with actual fabric. "Really, your swirls are wasted on you, Purrcy," she finally said as she moved from the neck to the first arm and hand. "They can hardly be seen when you're wearing clothing."

"I could go without," Purrcy said calmly. The other ladies laughed, but Rieze frowned slightly.

"I can see you doing it," Rieze scolded. "That would be the scandal of the year, you know." Purrcy didn't answer, continuing to hold still for the brush that Rieze continued to dab into the container of powder then onto her fur. As Rieze moved to the other arm, there was a knock at the door again. She glanced up to see the staff of Shopping District 8 enter. Two had been sent. One was the mistress of the crafters, Mei-Mao, who was wearing a gold scarf tied to her upper arm, and the other was her first assistant. Rieze nodded to them and went back to her work. The rest of the room welcomed them in and led them to where they should set up for their own work.

That was the cue for the rest of them to get started on their own preparations, though they'd been working on their hair, makeup, and chatting before. Rieze completed her work to paint blackly around Purrcy's eyes, making the gold of her eyes stand out even more, then stepped back to look critically at her handiwork. With a few brush strokes she corrected a few places in the powder to even them out, then finally nodded. She cast a brief spell to hold all the powder in place and put the powder and brush away. "Very nicely done," Mei-Mao's alto voice sounded in her ear.

Rieze nodded her thanks. "She's all yours now. I've got my own work to do." She turned away and went to her spot in the room and put her chair and vanity from her own room in place, having put them into her item list for this time as well. She was grateful when Elissa appeared behind her and picked up her brush. She must have finished Raynessia while Rieze was working, according to their predetermined plan. Her hands were tired after all the powdering work and she rested them, knowing she'd be doing more makeup work later. The People of the Land didn't know how to do it in quite the same way as the Adventurers were used to, so it would be up to her to do her own and those, like Akatsuki, who were hopeless on their own. Rieze was able to watch Purrcy being dressed from her mirror.

Mei-Mao had pulled out the first layer, a shift of white that had a low neckline and barely any sleeve at all to speak of and that ended at mid-calf. Rieze was grateful Mei-Mao was careful in how it went over Purrcy's head so it didn't brush off any powder, though the spell should be sufficient. Purrcy was also careful in how her arms went through the sleeves. Mei-Mao carefully made sure the tail was settled correctly, murmuring a question to Purrcy that was just as quietly answered to the affirmative. Stockings were next, sheer and also white. Purrcy stepped into them precisely as Mei-Mao pulled them onto her feet and up her slender legs. Rieze realized that even felinoid stockings would have to be of different construction than human ones.

Over the shift went another lightweight under-dress of radiant white. This one was low in the neck with an embroidered band across the top of it that continued around the shoulders to the back. The sleeves were a little wider, to cover the shoulders a bit. The band was red and embroidered with gold and white, and the upper part of the bodice of the under-dress was embroidered with red and gold on the white. The lower part was beaded with pearlescent clear and gold beads, fine red lines joining them to the front of the skirt of the under-dress. To the Japanese, red was the traditional color of good luck for the joining in marriage, and it was always included in any wedding attire, particularly for the bride. Cranes were also included for the same reason, but there weren't any on Purrcy's under-dress.

Over the under-dress went the outer dress. It was similar to a kimono in style, but instead of wrapping all the way around to fall to the side and hide the under-dress, it connected with a few hooks at the center front just under breast height. The skirt fell away from that point to either side to train behind Purrcy more than three feet and show the embroidery and beading of the skirt of the under-dress. The outer dress was made of very heavy white satin and was heavily embroidered with gold and red cranes and swirls that imitated Purrcy's gold swirls. The bodice was a V-neck showing the band and embroidery along the top of the under-dress. The sleeves were nearly as long as Purrcy was tall, showing high nobility. There was an inner red band to the sleeves and the edging of the dress, that made it look like an inner kimono layer, since the more layers the more noble as well. They'd decided to go with mock multiple layers given the limited amount of time they'd originally had to make it. Rieze figured Purrcy would prefer it anyway since she had the fur to keep her warm enough.

Elissa finished with Rieze's hair and Rieze thanked her gratefully, then pulled out her makeup kit and began to apply her own make up first. That had been the other agreement, that she would get ready first on makeup. Her clothing would probably be last, though. She glanced over as Mei-Mao moved to fasten the obi around Purrcy's middle in the back. It covered her in a wide band from under the breast level to the waist. It was also white with red and gold embroidery, and edged in red. Rieze had missed the ties and firming board that went under the obi, but she knew they were there. Shiroe had been right. Purrcy did look really good in the kimono style, her slender figure well suited for it.

By the time Rieze was done with her makeup, Purrcy was sitting primly on her chair again. She was having the final piece of the dress fitted on her - a wide heavy collar that stood out over her shoulders and a piece that rose up to frame the exposed 'v' of her neck and her face. The embroidery and coloring on it matched the over dress. Rieze nodded. That was more Chinese, like the drape of the front of the dress was.

Rieze looked around at everyone else. They were mostly dressed and hair done now. She gestured to Akatsuki and the diminutive woman carefully made her way over to sit gingerly on the chair that Rieze had turned around enough she could work. It didn't take long to get Akatsuki ready. She was already of fine and fair features. It was just a matter of making the beautiful more outstanding. When she was done, Rieze stepped back and then nodded. "Shiroe will be well pleased to keep his eyes on you today," she said with a small smile.

Akatsuki turned to look into the vanity mirror and blinked. "It hardly looks like me," she commented softly. "It's beautiful, thank you, Rieze."

Rieze waved a hand. "You're easy. Go keep Purrcy company and reassure her, too. She's starting to slump just a little." She called the next lady over - Henrietta who wasn't quite so easy. Rieze glanced at Princess Raynessia. Elissa had done well enough with her, and now was working on the younger ladies of Log Horizon. Rieze hadn't seen them come in, but knew they had come just a bit later than the older ladies. Mei-Mao's assistant had dressed the bridesmaids, had just finished getting the younger girls dressed, and was now heading over to help Mei-Mao with the final parts of Purrcy's bridal outfit.

Rieze paused and all the ladies in the room watched as the dressers had Purrcy stand again. A pair of iridescent butterfly-fairy wings appeared and they carefully attached them to the back of the dress. When they were happy, they took the wings back off. Apparently that was a later addition they'd wanted to check first. They had Purrcy sit again and Mei-Mao stood in front of Purrcy and her assistant stood behind. The assistant held out her hands to either side of Purrcy's head and Mei-Mao went into her item list and selected an item.

In the assistant's hands appeared a large ornate headdress, made of gold. There were long delicate gold chains hanging down from the wide gold side bars of the headdress. There were shorter delicate chains hanging down over her face, so Purrcy's face was framed. Flowers had been placed in front of and under Purrcy's ears and all around her head. When the headdress was settled on her head, the flowers were accents for the red and gold flowers in the headdress. Purrcy's look went slightly pained and Akatsuki's hand went to rest lightly on Purrcy's shoulder. "Is it too heavy?" Akatsuki asked kindly.

"Of course it is," Purrcy said, her voice slightly pained as well. "I'm sure he wanted it to be as heavy as possible." There was a pause, then the pain on her face lifted somewhat and she straightened a little more, though it looked like it was still heavy.

Rieze shook her head. "It's as much a punishment as anything, then?"

Akatsuki looked at Rieze solemnly, with eyes that said too much that wasn't understood, but she didn't say anything out loud. The look kept the rest of them silent.

"You may sit for now, Miss Purrcy. We'll put the wings back on just before we leave the house. You won't be able to sit at all once they're on."

Purrcy sighed slightly in relief. She looked up at Mei-Mao. "Thank you very much for all your hard work, Mei-Mao. I'm sorry it was so difficult to deal with us all."

Mei-Mao looked at her solemnly, then nodded once. "See you wear it well until the course is finished."

"Yes, Ma'am," Purrcy said meekly, sitting up straight since she couldn't do any less. She carefully turned her head to look at Akatsuki with a bit of a fond look, then turned her head the other way. "Ah, can I test it to see how far I can move before it unbalances?"

"Yes, that would be a good idea," Mei-Mao allowed.

As Purrcy stood and moved around the room, Rieze realized she'd been given the Japanese platform shoes. She frowned. "Mei-Mao. Switch those out for the Chinese slippers. She'll never make it to the wedding site let alone up the stairs to the stand in those. She's not native Japanese to have practiced in them already."

Mei-Mao motioned for Purrcy to sit again and knelt to trade out the wooden platforms for embroidered slippers, then moved out of the way again. When Purrcy rose again, she was certainly happier for the footwear change.

Rieze turned to Henrietta again and applied the makeup deftly and as quickly as she could while keeping it perfect to her. Then it was Marielle, who only needed final touches to reach perfection, since she knew how to do the base layers and had done them already. Thankfully, Nazuna didn't need make up any more than Purrcy would have. Rieze finally turned to Tetorō. He was dressed now as well, in clothing that matched the other bridesmaids but was a pants and jacket set. HackerM1 was also dressed in his dark grey pinstripe suit with gold shirt to match the bridesmaids dresses.

Rieze motioned Tetorō over to sit in her chair next. He raised an eyebrow, but obediently walked over and sat. "Do I really need it now?" he asked her, a little dubiously.

"Yes. You're going to be on stage, and with all the ladies. Leave it to me," she said with confidence.

"Very well," he answered with his old pride and flair. "I have always wanted to have Rieze make me stunningly beautiful, even once."

She smiled at him encouragingly, then set her hand to his face. She was a little regretful she couldn't have a heavier hand on his female face, but it was still beautiful and the more difficult lighter hand challenged her in a way she found exhilarating. When she was done, she stepped back and took a critical look, then let him look in the mirror. Tetorō very carefully looked at the job she'd done, with eyes just as critical as hers were. When he took in the whole effect, he sighed. "We have to do the hair, too, if we're going to do that, though you've done a fine job, Rieze, thank you."

She nodded and looked over to Elissa. The maid walked over, just a little unsure. Carefully she studied Tetorō, then finally nodded and took up her brush and hot iron. When she was done, a young lordling looked back at them, hair curled with just enough curl to still be beautifully masculine without being effeminate ringlets. Rieze set them with the same setting spell she'd used on Purrcy's powder and nodded her approval. "Ah! No tears, Tetorō," she scolded. "You'll ruin all the effort I went to."

He tried hard and pulled them back, but she swept in with a cloth to dab at his eyes anyway to make sure the dark lashes didn't drip onto his cheeks and destroy the effect. "Well...I wonder what I'll do if I cry there?" he asked.

Rieze sighed and set his makeup, too. "I've taken care of it," she said to him dryly, "but you should still try to not."

He nodded obediently. "Thank you, Rieze, Elissa."

"Okay, let's see all five of you lined up together and make sure the overall effect is sufficient," Rieze ordered. Vanities and chairs disappeared and the rest stepped back to look at Purrcy, Tetorō, Akatsuki, Marielle, and Henrietta in their line. Rieze looked them over individually, then as a whole. "Well. I'd like a picture of that," she finally said. "I'd say it's half the royal family, actually."

Tetorō closed his eyes and Akatsuki looked slightly pained. Purrcy stayed completely calm and still, but Rieze's heart suddenly held still for just a moment. Marielle finally sighed. "We aren't done yet," she said apologetically. The four standing with Purrcy gathered into a huddle and when they returned to standing with her, they were all in their beautiful clothing now accentuated with sparkling necklaces, earrings...and delicate filigree coronets, though Tetorō's was a bit more masculine, and he had a ring on his hand rather than the necklace.

Rieze looked at Purrcy accusingly. "Is it Shiroe's fault?"

"Well, considering that he set the tone with 'Fairy Queen', yes. When I saw the crown I had to wear, I wasn't going to be the only one up there wearing one. At least theirs won't give them a headache and neck strain." Purrcy's air was one of annoyed superiority.

Nazuna looked at Purrcy suspiciously. "And since he set that tone, there's no way you let the men get away without them, did you?"

"Of course not," Purrcy sniffed, "but I wonder if he'll have the courage to wear his? People who can dish out but not take it annoy me."

There was a sigh from Minori. Rieze looked to her and was surprised to see that she and the other two young female members of the "family" also had necklaces and earrings, but instead of coronets had bracelets to match. She was glad to see they'd escaped the embarrassment. It was going to be a difficult thing for them to be in front of other Adventurers dressed that way, even if it was cos-play. Shiroe sometimes did this - went a little too far.

Out of the corner of her eye Rieze looked at Raynessia and Elissa. They'd already bought it, sadly. She wondered how they were going to explain this one. The cool, closed expression on Mei-Mao's face surprised her. The craftsperson knew something. As Rieze watched, she pulled a bit on the scarf on her arm, sliding the fabric through her hand, though when she noticed she was doing it, she startled and put her hand down quickly. Rieze blinked and hoped her first impression was actually wrong.

Carefully she inspected HackerM1. He had in an earring that looked like one of the magic earrings that warned of impending treachery. A ring that looked like it matched Tetorō's was on his hand. She couldn't see anything else, but just on the off chance, she called up the status screen and scanned for any magic items. The earring and ring both had statuses. ...And so did the cuff-links. She scanned the bridesmaids and all their jewelry did as well.

Purrcy had gifted a lot of people with some pretty pricey stuff. Actual magic items sold for three times the costume jewelry, if not ten times depending on the bonuses. Her eyes slipped to Purrcy, just because she was looking and there wasn't anything particular about her jewelry. She was about to close the status window when a blip caught her eyes. She scanned lower and there was one more status listed. _Tetorō's Monitoring Collar. Worn by Purrcy to keep her from working herself to death. Plus 30 damage every ten seconds over the allowed maximum working limit. Status Effects: Unconscious and HP Reduction to 1/2 HP for any work over the allowed maximum emergency working limit, lasting for a minimum of two hours._

Rieze snapped her status screen closed and tried to look as casual as possible. She'd just seen something she really shouldn't have. She turned away from the group, remembering what she'd seen when she arrived. It made a lot more sense now. So did what Tetorō had said. He'd not only been severe, he'd punished her strongly. Rieze wondered if Purrcy would ever forgive him, and her heart hurt for them both. She was worried that Shiroe was walking that same path with going this far in Purrcy's wedding garb. It wouldn't be good for them if Purrcy decided she was unloved and only a burden.

Rieze paused by Purrcy on her way to the changing screen to put her own clothing on finally. She reached down and gently took the felinoid's hand. "You're beautiful today, Purrcy," she said kindly. "You're a lovely bride and they'll only make you look even more radiant. I hope you can be happy after today as well."

Purrcy looked up into her eyes, mindful of the balance of her headdress, and smiled. "Thank you, Rieze, and thank you for helping me also. I'll do my best."

Rieze shook her head. "You're always doing your best, Purrcy. Really. You don't need to work quite so hard all the time. We'll love you anyway. That's what friends are for."

Purrcy's look softened. "Thank you, Rieze," she answered quietly, "it's nice to have friends." The hand she was holding tightened briefly, then let go. Rieze almost reluctantly left her and continued to go change. She had to stifle a sniff as she carefully pulled off her clothing and put on her new outfit. It was one of Purrcy's newer designs. She ran her hand down it, enjoying the feminine structure and feel. Then she pasted on a smile and exited the hiding place to face the others again. She accepted their praise kindly, turning so they could see it also. She gave an extra wink to Purrcy who winked back in their shared secret, and then she let it out and everyone praised Purrcy. That made Rieze feel a little better.

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta stood at the outer edge of the stand, looking over the gathering guests. There weren't many yet that had seated themselves. There was still over a half-hour before the ceremony would begin, but there was a thing he wanted to see. From this height he would be able to see the view he needed to see to move another step forward. His tail twitched occasionally, and his ears were pricked forward to hear, if possible.

Truth be told, he was just a little worried. He'd almost crossed a line he would rather not have, and he needed to know, though he wouldn't be able to tell from the view he was looking for, if it had been too much. Purrcy had been just a little too clingy that morning and wouldn't have moved on her own well. He'd understood this rather instinctively and almost without thought had called on a rather sadistic method to get her to anyway. It was his first time to test her that way and he wasn't sure on their wedding morning it had been the wisest choice. For all she seemed to react positively to his sadistic streak, it had only ever been lightly done, hinted at. This had been overt.

It wasn't like he really delighted in it either. The national statistic was that fully one-third of married women in Japan were abused by their husbands after marriage and his female clients, those with the courage and permission to come, had almost one hundred percent fallen into that category. He suspected that for international marriages, of which a Japanese male - English speaking international female were the smallest minority, the percentage of abuse was much higher. He didn't really have the desire to become one of those statistics, even though he was probably capable of it merely by training. He'd only ever used it before online to get persistent unwanted attention to go away.

He already knew Purrcy required tenderness to thrive, but she also demanded the balance of a firm hand. He'd spent the morning in the kitchen being romantic to lift her spirits from the night terror, so it was possible that much balanced out the more severe parting, but finding the proper balance was going to take some careful experimentation and time. He was worried he'd picked the wrong time, even if it was for perhaps the right reasons. He wouldn't really know until that night, but if he'd been very wrong...she wouldn't show up at all. If he'd only been merely wrong, he'd have some repair to do over the next several days. His whiskers drooped. He'd most likely made himself more work than he wanted, really, and all the worrying in the in-between time wasn't helping him.

Really, being married was such hard work. It's not like Purrcy had ever been easy from the beginning, though she had often been a comfort to have by his side. It was perhaps a bit late to admit it, but he'd been enjoying his quiet life that had little of difficulty in it. He had to wonder how much of his sadistic streak that morning had also been irritation at having to give it up in a real way today. He might be quiet and appear easygoing on the outside, but even he had to deal with the stress of the responsibilities placed on him.

At the moment, partially as his rebellion against his looming responsibilities, he was only wearing the tuxedo. He'd flatly refused Shiroe's suggestion he also wear more traditional clothing. He would at least give Purrcy that one dignity - of wearing what she'd requested he wear. The one nod he'd given to tradition was to have his pocket handkerchief be red - the color of weddings and luck. Akatsuki had gifted him with it, and it had a white crane embroidered on the point of it that stuck up out of the pocket. He rather liked it, actually.

Nyanta took a deep breath, trying to settle again. He had no idea what Purrcy was really going to look like. Like most weddings, he'd not been allowed to see the bridal clothing ahead of time. He was hoping that hadn't scared Purrcy off, too. He knew Shiroe's personal sadistic streak quite well, and it almost always leaned to the overwhelming aspect of nearly-inappropriate clothing that couldn't be complained about because it worked so extremely well. If the ladies showed up in their coronets he wasn't going to let Shiroe get off with leaving his crown packed. Without even seeing the wedding dress, he knew Shiroe deserved the punishment Purrcy had assigned him. She wouldn't have done it otherwise.

Suddenly he saw motion in the direction he was looking that was beyond the normal for guests to arrive. The Eagles were clearing a pathway to the small tent that had been set up in the back for the women to wait the final minutes in. Nyanta's eyes focused sharply on the place he would see them enter the formal garden that had been chosen for the ceremony. His tail stilled in anticipation and his ears pointed directly at that place. He registered Naotsugu arriving next to him to look also but ignored him.

Two black uniformed guards, their swords at their sides, entered his field of view. Behind them came Serera, Isuzu, and Minori side by side and looking beautiful. Behind them came two young children from Crescent Moon League each carrying the front poles of a covering that was an opaque but lightweight white fabric decorated with cherry blossoms. On the far side of it walked Michael in his suit as if he escorted brides every day, and on the near side Tetorō walked somewhat tensely, with one fist clenched, though his face was calm and his head was held proudly. He was as handsome as a lordling of the People of the Land, with curls in his hair and his coronet on his head. Then came two more children from Crescent Moon carrying the back poles of the covering, and behind them the bridesmaids - Akatsuki, Marielle, and Henrietta. All of them were also in their coronets, looking as lovely as any courtiers of a fairy queen. They all appeared calm, though Marielle perhaps had her usual excitement at participating in a fun event. Behind them were Rieze, Princess Raynessia, and Nazuna.

Nyanta couldn't see anything of what was under the canopy, because the fabric fell all the way to the ground, but nothing in everyone else said Purrcy had run. In particular he looked at Nazuna. The fox-tail's tail was relaxed and gave a happy flick every now and then and her ears turned to listen to the crowd that was commenting pleasantly as their parade passed by. There was a shifting on Nyanta's other side and he realized Soujirou was there, reacting to Nazuna, perhaps. Surely Naotsugu was spell bound by Marielle and if Shiroe was watching at all, Akatsuki ought to have commanded his attention. It was frustrating to Nyanta he was the only one who didn't get to see his partner yet, and for a second he wanted to dash over and rip the covering away so he could see with his own eyes she was there. Then Tetorō's head turned and his lips moved. Nyanta relaxed slightly. Tetorō had talked to her, so she must be there.

He followed the canopy with his eyes until it disappeared into the small tent with the retinue. Because he still had his eyes on that place, he saw when Rieze turned and looked over the crowd to the stand, then scanned their little group. His heart stopped at the look she gave him just before entering the tent last. Rieze was worried. ...And Tetorō was tense, and Michael was holding firmly strong and calm in the face of the walk. Something wasn't quite right. There was motion on the other side of the tent that hadn't reached it yet and his cat eyes pierced through the crowd to see the source of it. Shiroe was walking to the tent.

"Shiroe-ichi. Walk cautiously. Don't make her run. The signs aren't good." Nyanta tried hard to keep his sudden panic out of his voice.

There was a pause, then quietly, "Are they bad?"

"No, but things are off." He didn't want to admit that much, but the younger man would be angry and overreact if he wasn't given the honest answer. "Mew'll have to see her eyes to know more than what I can see from the others."

There was another pause, then, "Nyanta-san, I'll walk carefully. I don't want to be the cause of troubles on your important day."

Nyanta closed his eyes and hoped. At least Shiroe understood that much. As dryly as he could, he said, "I'd apurreciate it."

Naotsugu tugged on Nyanta's sleeve. "Come on, you've seen what you're going to get to see. Let's finish getting you ready so you aren't the late one." Nyanta allowed himself to be led off the stand and to the place behind it where they were getting ready. First were the earrings. The cuff-links were already on as part of putting on the tuxedos. Nyanta handed Naotsugu his crown and allowed the larger man to settle it on his head centered properly. Then he repaid the favor to set Naotsugu's coronet correctly. Shouryuu handed his to Naotsugu and Naotsugu settled it on his head, turning it slightly to be centered as well.

Soujirou looked between them with a bemused expression. "And does Shiroe-sempai have one also?" he finally asked.

"Yes," Nyanta answered calmly. "I'm sorry mew don't, but I believe it's because it wouldn't be in period."

Soujirou shook his head. "No it wouldn't, but I did receive this which is." He pointed to the medallion hanging at his waist on a chain that joined the two sides of his overcoat.

Nyanta looked at it's status and nodded. "That would be meowr gift, yes." He reached for his gifted rapiers and belt and buckled them on, slipping the belt under the tails of his tuxedo, making sure to not catch the jacket in it. Naotsugu stepped up to help him by holding the tails out of the way until the belt was properly buckled.

"You're crown's different," Soujirou commented. "That's rather impressive, actually."

Nyanta spared him a glance to see he was looking with that expression that said he was looking at his status screen. "Yes," he said shortly. "Shiroe-ichi's is also different, though not like this one."

"So...why?" Soujirou asked, shifting to rest his hand on his double katanas.

Naotsugu snorted. "Because Shiroe said 'fairy queen' and then went and let Purrcy see what that meant. She refuses to go up as the only one with a crazy hat on her head."

Nyanta looked up with raised eyewhiskers at that comment. He'd known she was wearing something, but to have it called that.... "We'll be making sure Shiroe-ichi wears his today as well, or I shall be displeased," Nyanta commented quietly. "If the ladies will wear theirs, he'll wear his."

Naotsugu sighed. "You know he's not pleased, right?"

"If they'll fight in public, then that is their's to attend to," Nyanta said without sympathy. "But they won't run from it either when they've brought the rest of us into it. If he'll remove from her head the monstrosity he's chosen, then we may all rest our own heads in relief and he can be free from his own burden."

"Well, it's hard to argue against that point," Naotsugu agreed.

Shouryuu nodded. He also didn't look too pleased to be in a coronet. "Is there a reason Crescent Moon has to be involved to this degree?" he asked.

Nyanta looked up at him, and Naotsugu stared at him. He was looking a bit confused. Nyanta shifted his weight back and put a paw on the guard of his rapier. "Surely, Shouryuu-kun, mew understand by now." Shouryuu looked at him blankly. "The relationship between the two guilds?"

Shouryuu blinked and shook his head. Soujirou sighed and helped him out. "Crescent Moon is the bullied nerd-in-glasses who has to obey the prince of the school, Log Horizon," he explained it in school terms. "Sometimes it's a relationship of beneficial elitism, and sometimes it's just pure painful bullying. We all see it, you know. If Log Horizon has decided Crescent Moon must also be humiliated because it's being made to, then you've got no choice but to pretend like it's completely normal."

Shouryuu blinked again. "It's humiliating? I thought it was just uncomfortable."

Soujirou nodded and looked sympathetic. "Of course you did."

Nyanta pierced Soujirou with a look. "If mew think it's humiliating for the rest of us, mew don't understand, Souji-kun. Please take a closer look when we're all standing together."

"Remember, the Councilor never does anything without a purpose," Naotsugu said in warning. "If he's truly humiliated by his hat, we'll go hatless...but it won't happen."

Soujirou's eyebrow raised and he looked between them all again. Nyanta and Naotsugu looked back soberly. Shouryuu looked at the two of them, then pursed his lips in that familiar gesture of refusal to speak the secrets of Log Horizon. Finally Soujirou shook his head. "I really hope he hasn't slipped and gone daft this time. I guess I'll be glad I'm not included the full extent again, though it's small consolation. I keep being brought to the precipice, you know."

"Sorry," Naotsugu said humbly and promptly, but they couldn't relieve him any more than that.

Nyanta raised an eyebrow then looked down at his rapiers again to settle them. "She's been protecting mew from the beginning, mew know."

Soujirou looked slightly puzzled, then looked down at his own clothing. "Oh. This. Right." He sighed. "Is she protecting young Touya for some reason, then, too?"

Nyanta shook his head. "Using him as the excuse to protect mew."

"Oh," Soujirou nodded in understanding. He tipped his head. "This is a rather complex game, isn't it?"

"It isn't," Naotsugu answered, now adjusting his own belt and sword, drawing another look from Soujirou since it wasn't a Guardian's style of sword. Naotsugu looked up at him still as sober as before. "It's a dungeon, and it's the most difficult one we'll likely face."

"This level?" Soujirou asked.

"Fifth. We're just beginning it, and you all need to come along in order for us to clear it," Naotsugu said calmly.

Soujirou paused, then nodded. "I remember he said that."

Naotsugu nodded. "We're helping you lot to come along is all. It's broad, wide, and will take a long time, this level."

"Tetorō says it's a two-layer level," came a voice from behind Nyanta and Naotsugu. They turned to look at Shiroe with raised eyebrows. "Actually I say we have another level after this one and he says it's the last one, so we've compromised that it's a combination two-layer before we reach the boss."

"Those are long levels," Soujirou commented.

Shiroe merely nodded, then turned to look at Nyanta. "She's fine, if as nervous as you. Rieze pulled me aside and asked about her and Tetorō. I think she noticed the collar's data points. She's sharp like that, you know."

Nyanta relaxed and nodded. "She'll have noticed it along with the other things, then, and be worried about the rest of us as well. Did mew explain it to her?"

Shiroe paused, then said coolly, "No." Without showing anything on his face, he held out his hands in front of him, then passed his crown to Naotsugu. Naotsugu carefully set it on Shiroe's head. Once it was done, Shiroe did sigh slightly. "At least it goes with the position I'm standing in today," he quipped, though without humor.

Soujirou stared at the king's crown, the most costume-jewelry head piece in the area at the moment. "If that's what she's making you wear, I'm not really sure I want to see what you've made her wear," he finally said in almost awe. "If this war is going to continue, I hope you'll count me out." Shiroe turned away. "Shiroe-sempai? ...Shiroe?" Soujirou begged, but was not given relief and his face fell, stricken and sorrowful in self-pity.

Nyanta and Naotsugu took Soujirou by either arm. "I told mew. _She's_ protecting mew," Nyanta said quietly.

Soujirou slumped and allowed himself to be led to their place of waiting to enter the stage. "Well...at least someone is...I think," he muttered to himself. Shouryuu also slumped slightly in agreement, as if he completely understood but wished he also had someone protecting him and Crescent Moon.


	18. First Akiba Wedding

The guests were gathered, waiting in their seats. The councilors and guildmasters of Akiba were in the second row. The Cowen family and ministers of Minami, minus the princess ambassador, were in the third row, and the remainder of the guests were set behind them as they would. At the appointed time, Shiroe led the men from their place in the shadows of the stage up the steps to arrive at the center of the stage, looking out over the assembled guests. He'd taken his deep breath before stepping foot on the stairs and now he worked at completely ignoring his own appearance and the looks on the faces of the people in front of him.

Nyanta took his place to Shiroe's left. Naotsugu stood next to him, then Soujirou, then Shouryuu. Shiroe looked over to the small pavilion and the guard nodded. Touya, escorting Minori properly this time, left from the pavilion and walked a stately pace to their seats in the front row. They were followed at a respectable distance by Rudy escorting Isuzu. Behind them came a blushing Serera with one of the Royal Guards as her escort. When they were seated, the guard bowing and leaving Serera with her friends, Princess Raynessia was escorted out on the arm of another guard. Behind her came Rieze, then Nazuna, also each escorted by uniformed guards. As the guards left the ladies in the front row, they returned to add themselves to the double row of honor guards waiting at the pavilion. When they were in place, they formally marched forward until they were standing at attention, forming a lined pathway leading up to the stairs the ladies would ascend.

When the guards were in place, Henrietta walked out of the pavilion carrying a single rose, trying for grace and getting at least to poised. At the proper timing Marielle followed her out, also carrying a rose and smiling her happy smile, though it was a tad reserved for the solemn occasion. Akatsuki was third and Shiroe's breath was taken away again. She was the most feminine he'd ever seen her, even going so far as to be in the bridesmaid's dress that was golden in color rather than black. Her black hair was stunningly curled and piled on her head and the makeup only further pointed out her natural understated beauty. He'd barely been able to look at her when he'd inspected everyone and given them final instructions, though he had very carefully complimented her on her beauty so that she didn't misunderstand and think he was displeased.

Really, he missed Tetorō coming out for watching Akatsuki walk onto the stage, but when Tetorō arrived nearly in front of him, Shiroe returned to the present. He had to admit, they'd all done a marvelous job of presenting themselves, and even Tetorō had nothing that could be faulted about him. His rose was in his pocket, rather than in his hands and his eyes were bright. Shiroe hoped he made it through the ceremony before he let everyone know he'd been put in makeup, too. Shiroe thought it worked well but might be rather disastrous for Tetorō's reputation with the other Adventurers if they knew.

The Royal Guard's leader for the day, Lieutenant Commander Reed, called out an order and all of the Royal Guard drew their swords and held them in a formal upright position. The second order was called and they formed a sword archway, crossing swords over the corridor they lined. This part hadn't been rehearsed before with all of them, as the swords themselves were new since the rehearsal, but Shiroe suspected they'd practiced it all the same.

There was movement from the pavilion as the assistants from Crescent Moon parted the doorway to reveal Purrcy on Michael's arm. Shiroe looked at Nyanta. The felinoid had gone very still and was inspecting his wife, judging what Shiroe had done, he was sure. Shiroe was actually pleased with how it had come out. It had all the elements he'd been looking for. A heavy crown that made her position obvious and met his own requirement to spite her for making it a requirement in the first place, clothing that met her severe beauty and role as Hahaue, as well as more subtly told others that here was a ruler in her own right, and the beautiful wings that brought to mind her sphinx wings for those that knew of them, pointing towards her wisdom and role in the dungeons she was bringing them to face. It was also the point of confusion and protection for those who weren't supposed to understand his underlying real meaning to all of the 'pomp and circumstance' they were wearing and 'playing'.

When Nyanta seemed to relax enough to just enjoy the view of his wife, Shiroe glanced at her and Michael to time their pace. They were just entering the sword archway. Shiroe turned his gaze to the front rows of guests. Rieze looked like she was tasting sour lemon, looking at the full gathering in front of her. She obviously understood the message. Woodstock seemed sadly resigned. Shiroe had gone the full direction that guildmaster had been afraid he was going to go. Akaneya was still trying to figure it out, but looked close to understanding. Ains was calculating, also trying to get the full story. Calasin was sitting back, his poker merchant's face on. Michitaka was in a similar state, only his tapping finger giving away anything at all. Isaac had gone from bored to intrigued, and Roderick was looking crestfallen. He'd be feeling about the same as Soujirou, then. Soujirou had already moved from almost unsurprised surprise to calm neutrality as his protection. Marielle only ever had to be her sunny self, and she was being just that for Purrcy, who likely needed to see a friendly face to help her up the stairs.

Nakalnad was frowning slightly, but Kazuhiko was looking calm. He might not know what was going on, but he seemed willing to trust both Shiroe and Purrcy sufficiently to not be too concerned today. KR was watching Purrcy anxiously, but not really caring to read too deeply at the moment. That was fine. The other new ministry members weren't getting it yet, but that's because they didn't know Shiroe's past history. They'd get it when they needed to. Shiroe had just enough time to look at Duke Sergiad before Michael and Purrcy arrived in front of him. The Duke looked like he'd just taken the cat's cream and enjoyed it immensely and was purring to himself. Shiroe sighed in relief. He'd won that battle quickly thanks to Purrcy's hard work. Now to see where it led.

Michael bowed to Shiroe, who nodded, then bowed to Nyanta, who bowed back. He released Purrcy from his arm and walked off the stage as Reed called for the swords of the arch to be returned to their sheaths.

Shiroe took a breath, then opened his mouth and began. "We are gathered here together today to witness the joining of Purrcy and Nyanta in the bonds of matrimony, the first Adventurers of Akiba to marry. To take this step in this place that is not our home, when there are friends and family dear to us that were left behind, and whom we desire to return to, is a bittersweet moment. We mourn that they cannot be with us, while at the same time are grateful for the friends and companions we do have here with us."

"To come here suddenly from Earth was to be stolen from everything we knew until that time, and our memories of it hold us, keep us standing strong on the face of Theldesia. We treasure that past which anchors us because of hope and love. Love that reaches out to us, present or not, and pushes us forward, telling us we can do this - we can keep walking with purpose. That past must be acknowledged properly so that we can see to move forward."

"Humans must continue to walk forward, or on the inside we die. Most of us will fight that kind of death. If we don't pay attention we'll approach it wrongly - with hatred, anger, and despair. We've seen those examples and they don't give us the hope for the happiness and love that we need. Like we hold onto the things of the past to give us hope to keep moving forward, we look for things to hold onto now because we want to believe not just that we'll find happiness, but that the happiness we do find won't be taken from us again."

"The right way to walk forward into the future with a companion is in the bonds of marriage. Marriage, a solemn commitment for life, is right and proper. The family is the basic unit of the fabric of society. It is the thread that holds society and all of us together. The two threads bound together - husband and wife - are stronger than the individual. Strong enough to hold together each other and other individuals until they are ready to begin their own weaving."

"When marriage is faced with proper honor to the past that brought the couple together, and with proper determination to stay together into the future, together they can find - and even create - the hope and love they need, ...even in this new land we're strangers in. A simple commitment to continue forward together but not to lose the past in the process is an acceptable way to find hope and love in the present and into the future."

The words of his scolding, and his charge, mingled with the words of comfort from his best friend had formed the basis of his ceremony for his friends. As he repeated them, out loud for the first time in the hearing of others, he wondered again if they would really understand. The People of the Land surely wouldn't, but just how many of the Adventurers really would?

Shiroe looked at his friends and surrogate parents standing before him. "Have you properly faced your pasts together, telling each other truthfully everything so that there will be no regrets in the future? Do you properly respect each other's hope and love contained in those pasts so that you can move forward freely together without reservation?" He waited for them both to answer in the affirmative. Motioning them to join hands, he tied the red cord Purrcy had given him around their joined hands, binding them together.

"Do you, Nyanta, commit to tenderly care for Purrcy as your wife from this time forward, nothing reserved, to be her strength and comfort, to respect her past as you hold your own sacred, to work with her to make memories now and into the future that will continue to bring both of you hope and help you both remember that love holds us together: individually, as a couple, and as a society?"

Nyanta looked at him solemnly. "I do."

"Do you, Purrcy, commit to tenderly care for Nyanta as your husband from this time forward, nothing reserved, to be his strength and comfort, to respect his past as you hold your own sacred, to work with him to make memories now and into the future that will continue to bring both of you hope and help you both remember that love holds us together: individually, as a couple, and as a society?"

Purrcy dipped her head slightly. "I do." The red cord glowed then slowly dissolved into the air.

Shiroe put his hand on the contract on the table between them. "Then sign this contract stating the same, making those promises binding."

Nyanta picked up the pen and signed it. He handed the pen to Purrcy and she also signed it. Purrcy handed the pen to Shiroe and he also signed it as the witness. It rose up off the table a few inches, glowed with a light that included all three of them, then disappeared.

"Rings have been used to show the world the commitment we make to our spouses that we have covenanted to share our unending days together. If you have rings, please exchange them now."

Purrcy held out her hand and two golden rings appeared in it. Shiroe and Nyanta both recognized them as the earring and one of the rings used to house the spirits that were returned to the Adventurer Tree of Life. Purrcy picked up the earring and handed the ring to Shiroe. He took it and held it for her. Purrcy turned to Nyanta. He lifted his paw and as they watched, it transformed into a perfectly formed hand. Purrcy paused in surprise with an intake of breath. Her hand gently took Nyanta's in a caress that made Shiroe blush to watch. She had to swallow a few times before she could speak her words. As she slipped the earring-become-ring on Nyanta's left ring finger, she said, "With this ring, I thee wed," her voice catching at the end.

Nyanta gently turned his hand to hold Purrcy's left and held out his right, also now a hand, to accept the second ring from Shiroe. His voice was kind as he said the same words as he slipped the ring on her left ring finger. Shiroe could see Purrcy shivering with tears as she lifted Nyanta's hand to her lips to kiss it. Nyanta caressed her hand with a thumb and pulled it back down to hold it at waist height as if escorting her, then turned to Shiroe, a smile in his eyes.

Shiroe cleared his throat lightly. "From this time forth you are husband and wife. Be wise, make happy memories, love well." He paused, then smiled. "You may kiss the bride." Nyanta tenderly took Purrcy in his arms and they kissed long (though not too long) to the whistles of many who had come to support them. When they finally parted, Shiroe nodded and they turned towards the gathered throng. "I present to you Nyanta and Purrcy, the First married Adventurers of Akiba. Please take care of them." The assembly clapped their congratulations kindly.

Nyanta and Purrcy walked down off the stand and over to the waiting members of the guild and tenderly greeted each one. The bridesmaids and groomsmen followed them off the stand, Shiroe going down with Henrietta. As Shiroe watched the first row being greeted, he realized he was getting jealous. Shaking his head, he remembered what Naotsugu had told him and he stepped into place as well so that when they returned to greet the guildmasters, they had to greet him first. He demanded his hugs. "Congratulations, Nyanta. Please continue to make many happy memories at Log Horizon so I can share them with you."

"Of course, Shiroe-ichi," he said quietly. "Thank mew."

"My pleasure." Nyanta let him go and Shiroe took Purrcy in his arms. "I love you, Hahaue." He had to blink back the tears that had threatened the whole time they'd been standing up front for the ceremony. "Please...," he couldn't go on and the tears wouldn't be denied.

"It's okay," she said softly, stroking the back of his head, petting him to comfort him. "Weddings are one of the places we're supposed to cry. Thank you so much. ...I will, I promise."

When Shiroe had recovered enough - and he tried not to go too long since there were others waiting to greet the bride and groom - he let Purrcy go and looked at Nyanta. "She's yours now, Nyanta. Take good care of her."

Nyanta looked at him solemnly. "I will. I purromise." He looked over to Purrcy and reached for her, taking her in his arm. The both of them looked at Shiroe with great compassion and love and he was overwhelmed again.

He bowed and stepped aside to allow them to greet the guildmasters. A warm hand slipped into his and he looked to see Akatsuki standing by his side, looking up at him. She reached up and wiped his cheek. He tried to smile for her but it wouldn't come. She led him to an empty chair. Gathering up her skirts she climbed up on it and put her arms around his neck and held him. He held her in return, grateful for her presence, grateful she was willing to let him cry even when he felt very awkward about it.

-:-:-:-:-

When all the guests had been greeted and directed to the celebration area, Nyanta and Purrcy, joined by their wedding party, processed to the celebration area. There, they took the time to taste the cakes the children had made for them so many months before, but had been kept preserved by Adventurer magic until this day. They expressed gratitude to all their friends and guild family members, and only smiled silently when asked anything remotely close to a political question.

When Isuzu pulled out her lute and began to play, Nyanta fulfilled his promise to Purrcy and led her out to dance. Isuzu kept it a stately waltz for Purrcy's sake, given her dress and headdress. She continued to play the common ones known in the game, which were the only ones the People of the Land knew, so that they could dance also. When Duke Sergiad asked if he could dance with Purrcy, Princess Raynessia offered to dance with Nyanta and the newlyweds accepted. When Nyanta received back a trembling wife, he held her closely and asked if the Duke had asked particularly difficult questions. "No, Nyanta. That was the closest I'll ever come to dancing with my father on my wedding night," she replied. He held her closely during the next dance to comfort her, understanding her grief and gratitude.

They also allowed Shiroe and Akatsuki to cut in on a dance. When they returned again, Purrcy looked at Akatsuki. "Thank you, dear. That was the closest I'll come to dancing with my own son." She had to stop, then she smiled. "Though I wish I could also dance with you. You have a grace that makes one want to watch you dance for hours. Shiroe doesn't need us to fill in when you're both excellent dancers in your own right. Please continue to dance together." She embraced Akatsuki, then stepped back to Nyanta and they watched the younger couple walk off a little embarrassed.

Purrcy returned from dancing with Naotsugu with a smile on her face, delighted by the Guardian's understated grace and calming yet friendly conversation. Nyanta himself had felt uplifted by Marielle's cheer and smiling face. As the afternoon of dancing wore on, Nyanta carefully made sure he got in enough dances with Purrcy to not feel jealous. There were more men than women around, after all. It would be harder for him to have a partner every time. Still, she began to refuse the dances, choosing instead to have them sit out to talk with the people who came to visit.

When Michael and Tetorō walked up, though, Nyanta knew he'd have to restrain himself. The three of them owed her. Tetorō went first, his own pain no longer hidden so well any more. "Heika," he said quietly, bowing to Purrcy. "Can I be forgiven?"

Purrcy considered him quietly for a moment. "Tetorō, I forgave you yesterday. Please, forgive yourself and smile for me again."

Tetorō swallowed and tears came to his eyes. Purrcy looked at him a long moment, then sighed and opened her arms. He fled into them and held her, trying hard to not cry black onto her white. Michael handed him a handkerchief and he held it to his eyes so he didn't get his makeup on her as he cried his sorrow and relief out. When he was recovered enough, he invited Purrcy to dance with him and she and Nyanta allowed it, Michael staying to keep Nyanta company. Rieze slipped up to stand with them. "So, is it okay now?" she asked eyeing the two of them.

Nyanta tipped his head in positive answer, "However there still remains two of us who also need to apologize," he said quietly.

"It seems rather severe," Rieze observed. "Was it so necessary?"

Nyanta looked at Michael. Michael sighed. "...Some means of monitoring her was necessary. Our reasoning was that she'd been without a physical body of her own for more than half a year and had forgotten the restraint necessary for proper rest. It was perhaps an unreasonable assumption, but she was without a doubt abusing it. When Tetorō understands the proper limits he can change them. He's hopeful that it can be short term, only until she understands it herself."

Rieze sighed and looked after Purrcy and Tetorō. "Well, he would care enough to see she wasn't doing that. ...And she would do it." Rieze chewed on her lip for a moment, then nodded. "Well, as long as they've reconciled, it's okay." She tipped her head at them both and wandered off again.

Nyanta looked at Michael. "Do mew dance?"

Michael looked at him measuringly. "I would like to tell you no, so you don't have to fear, but like her, I do know. A knight, and a master at arms, must also know how to dance appropriately, or he is lightly scorned in the circles. I preferred not to be, though truth be told, most of my practice was with myself. There aren't too many junior officers willing to be the female partner of a senior male lead." His eyes crinkled up in a smile. Then he glanced at Purrcy. "Though, truly, I'd rather fly with her even more."

Nyanta sighed to himself. "Mew are a formidable opponent, Michael-kun. If mew fly with her, I must also be flying with mew. It's not a thing I wish to share, really." He studied Michael. "I'll allow this one dance if she forgives mew and me also, but do not ask again after tonight. It would not be good to have jealousy invade the house."

Michael smiled back, a slightly sad smile. "I understand, though she only still sees me as a useful tool for now." He looked at Purrcy, then back at Nyanta again. "I won't let her learn it," he promised, "that she has already also learned to love me."

Nyanta raised an eyebrow at him. "And do mew feel the same?"

Michael paused, then shook his head. "No. I also have family back home, and would rather go back. Besides," he put his hands behind his back and looked at the sky, "I'm not fool enough to think I can handle her. I'd be a weeping mess in less than two days. She's scarier than my mother." Nyanta could only laugh at that. He'd been a weeping mess in less than two minutes - every time he'd seen her and had her walk away. If Michael could last two days, he was formidable indeed. He didn't admit it to Michael, though. Instead he just nodded.

Purrcy did forgive them both, but they'd known she would because she was like that, and Michael did get his dance. Tetorō stood nervously with Nyanta, trying to help him not be overly jealous and stumbling over himself in the attempt until Nyanta finally calmly restrained him with his hand and words. "It's harder to ignore them with mew constantly drawing my attention back to them," he scolded mildly and Tetorō quickly refrained from that time.

Really, Tetorō was as good a boy as Shiroe was. Nyanta patted him on the head, but didn't explain himself. But just before they returned at the end of the dance, he did remember to say, "Ah, and Tetorō-kun, if mew do ever need an additional restraint, please do remember what Purrcy said to mew this meowrning. If mew do that again without passing it by me first, I will Cathedral mew until I'm no longer angry." Tetorō went pale, swallowed, and promised fervently to never forget. Nyanta patted him on the head again, then went and took his turn with his wife in the dance, holding her closely and kissing her. "When can we get rid of the headdress, Purrcy?" he asked, as the chains hit him again in the face, quite annoyed by now with them.

She sighed. "I'd change the whole outfit if I could, but I received such threatening glares from Mei-Mao as she put it all on me today, that I'm afraid to be seen in public without it. It must have been very difficult for her to have to spend so much effort in so short an amount of time to then have it only languish for months, when we could have been so much more polite and allowed her that time...I'm afraid she's quite put out about it."

Nyanta sighed. "Well mew are very lovely in it, but it has become too much of an annoyance. I believe I'll steal mew away shortly. Go and say meowr farewells for the evening."

"Yes, Nyanta," she answered obediently.

Of course, "go" was relative. He didn't leave her side as she walked through the remaining crowd of guests and well wishers until they finally reached Shiroe again. Both of them bowed and excused themselves politely. Shiroe smiled at them. They knew as soon as they were gone his crown would be off his head. He was also tired of it. Giving him knowing looks they said, "Leave it on until you're home." His face fell.

"You are in public," Purrcy scolded. "Hold it until you're in private, the same as I would. Nyanta has decided he's done with it and I'll be obedient to him in the matter. Please remain strong." Shiroe sighed and reluctantly nodded. They left, sure he would be saying his regrets soon as well.

As soon as they were out of sight of the gathering, their clothes were put away in their lists, the regalia going with it, and they were cats, running full out. Nyanta led her to a very secluded location of the city, where there was a run down building with a tree growing through it. He led her up to the upper floor, where there was a hidden cave-like area in one of the rooms. He prowled the room, making sure it was secure enough, just a bit nervous and too worried still to stand still. Purrcy explored a bit, then sat and watched him until he was able to approach her and sit facing her.

"Nyanta, before you greet me, I wish to let you know something." He paused, wondering at her choice of language. "I know that you restrain yourself with purpose," she said. "Each time, I wonder how much you'll restrain yourself. I've tried to respect it, and wish to continue to do so." Her tail curled around her front paws. "I am yours. I'll do what you want me to do."

As Nyanta considered her, he finally realized something. As a partner in this new marriage, she would wait patiently for him to be ready, but it was his responsibility to see to her as well. If he left her alone too long, she wouldn't have the proper protections to remain his. He couldn't continue to selfishly restrain himself. He also needed to learn the proper balance that she did, only from the other side. He leaned forward and touched her nose with his. "Thank mew, Purrcy," he said sincerely. She blinked at him.

He changed into felinoid. "Purrcy, please change," he asked. She obeyed, looking openly into his face. "Thank mew for coming to me today, and for coming beautifully regal. I could not have been more pleased, meow." He'd transformed his paws into hands when he'd transformed from cat, and now he ran his fingers along her cheek and jaw, feeling her soft fur that way for the first time, the sensation tingling softly against his skin.

He pulled her close to him and breathed on her ear. It turned towards him and she lost her strength a little. He breathed on it again, and her eyes closed and she began to fall. He gently lay her back, then licked her under the ear, down to her jaw and along it as she turned her head to receive the grooming strokes. He took a breath to calm himself, then licked down her neck and she softly moaned. This time, he didn't stop. This time, he wanted to really learn what came next. He practiced restraint by learning slowly, rather than by stopping altogether.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"But still, everyone does have a past on Earth. We need to acknowledge the past, recognize the present pain, and attempt to face the future with hope and courage. ...Let it be a solemn occasion that ends with gentle hope that the future can be navigated together in this new land we are strangers in. ...It will teach us that if it does happen, we've walked the path once, we can do it again." - Purrcy_


	19. Sub-Guild Questions the Guild's Sanity

Nyanta woke up to odd, unfamiliar smells. Dust, rustling mice, rotting leaves, moss, and Purrcy. Also fall rain was on it's way. Normally he would be smelling the tatami mat flooring of his room, vestiges of last night's dinner, the scent of his guildmates. He listened with his grey felinoid ears, but other than the mice and Purrcy's breathing there wasn't anything. He opened his eyes and it was a room he wasn't expecting. It took a moment of shaking his fuzzy head to remember that he'd brought her to a new abandoned place so they could have a proper uninterrupted honeymoon.

Today everyone was going to be very busy helping the Minami merchants close down their shops and get loaded onto the train for their return trip. Then the Akiba merchants would pack up and go home and everyone else would be on clean-up and tear-down duty. Nyanta and Purrcy had been promised this day to themselves - and only this day. Nyanta would have liked it to have been longer, but Purrcy was still in high demand. He'd have to get her to himself more later when things settled down. If they ever did. She was always moving, it seemed. Nyanta put a hand on her to figuratively keep her from moving now, though she was still sleeping so not moving anyway. Slowly she roused until she was blinking her golden eyes sleepily at him.

Seeing him looking at her, she started purring. His ear twitched. Her purring got louder, thrumming under his hand. He took a long slow breath, and her hand came up to lightly rub the white fur on his chest. "Is it okay if I learn how to love Nyanta this morning?" she asked him in a still-sleepy voice that was therefore all the more sultry, her hand moving to pet him down his white underbib to under his arm. He shivered ever so slightly. "Nyanta wakes up before Purrcy, and has desire in his eyes, every time," she commented. "This day, let me meet that desire for you." Her hand moved down his side towards the sensitive flank and his leg twitched in reaction.

He could feel the tension of his whiskers and his ears, and it ran all the way down his back. He didn't refuse, but he couldn't answer her either. He was rather frozen, actually, so she did as she pleased until he'd been properly pleased to her satisfaction.

-:-:-:-:-

"It was rather like, 'I've caught a Purrcy! ...Oh, hell. Now what do I do?' ...You know, that sense of impending doom that occurs just before the land mine goes off. The body freezes, and you can't do anything but let it run its course and hope you still come out in once piece on the other side. ...I'm not sure he did survive it, in the end."

"You surely didn't watch it until the end!?" the disbelieving scold came back.

"Well...no. Considering what happened last time, I wasn't too interested in a repeat scolding. I get the feeling she's one of those moms that punishes the first time and kills the second."

"Um hm," the agreement came back. "Keep thinking like that and you'll survive just fine. She really does expect everyone to be intelligent, and around the guild her impatience for stupidity is already rather legendary. You get told the first time you're innocently blind where her reality sits. If you forget, ...well, it isn't pretty - even if no one's seen the second explosion yet."

"You mean she hasn't ever had to follow through a second time? Will she really then?"

"If you want to be the guinea pig, go right ahead. We'll give you a proper farewell ceremony, though I doubt there will be enough pieces left to scrape into a paper bag."

"Nu-uh, man. Not me," it was denied quickly. "Anyway, they seem set on staying here tonight as well. They've been in the tree, happy to be unmoving most of the day, except during the storm when they stayed inside."

"Alright. I'll send another group to spell you guys out and let the officers know."

"Roger."

The Eagles learned that day that she still wanted at least six on duty but over eight was a bit much, even though it should have been a time for having zero. At about four the next morning, the house guards were roused by the six guarding the Queen and Consort, informing them they were incoming. The twelve were allowed the gift of watching Purrcy make Nyanta practice the tall run - up the outside of the guild hall. Once the pair were settled in the guild tree, nose to nose and sleeping again, the guards allowed themselves a bit of chatter.

"And I thought we were finally secure," Airframes sighed. "If they can do that...."

Compliance snorted. " _We_ do that."

"Well...but still..., now we have to watch for half-beasts, too."

"No. That's not the problem," the lower tones of Clocktower rebuked. "It's that you have to watch _those_ two half-beasts, and you've just had the reminder they're as outside the box as we are."

" _She_ is...and she's training him," Ground Safety replied. "Who's fixing breakfast?"

The final two to head down for breakfast in the morning didn't let the newlyweds into the building until the call for breakfast was sounded. Then they unlocked the trap door and let them down the trunk of the tree, welcoming them back with congratulatory jibes and mock surprise as the couple moved past at rather high speed. The two large cats went to Shiroe first, Purrcy to rub against his legs and purr happily. Nyanta sat upright and calmly watched them, though his whiskers and paws occasionally twitched as he watched Shiroe pet Purrcy.

Isuzu, coming to the table, stopped behind Nyanta and pet him matter-of-factly a couple of times. "Good morning, Nyanta-san. Welcome home."

Nyanta blinked a cat blink and looked over his shoulder at her. "Thank mew, Isuzu-chan. Good meowrning." The guards in the room thought she was very brave.

Naotsugu and Tetorō walked up to either side of Nyanta. Naotsugu's hand landed on Nyanta's head and Tetorō's on the back of his neck. "Purrcy, we have your itinerary for the day ready," Tetorō informed her. "Come to the table and eat and we'll review it."

Purrcy disentangled herself from Akatsuki's legs and tangled herself up in Naotsugu's. He patted her once and pushed her off and she shoved her head into Tetorō until he pet her, then she walked past Nyanta and licked his head on the way by. She disappeared and it wasn't until she was kitten on Isuzu's shoulder and licking her face they saw her again. Then she was off to Rudy's shoulder for the same, then to his lap and missing again. Touya picked her up off his lap and she tapped his nose lightly with a kitten paw until he relented and pulled her close enough she could get a lick in as well. He passed Purrcy off to Minori, who cuddled with her a bit, then put her on the floor under the table.

Nyanta changed back into felinoid at that point and the adults all moved to their seats, arriving about the same time felinoid Purrcy did in her chair, dressed in a comfortable fall sweatshirt and leggings. The Eagles who'd prepared breakfast brought it in. They ceremoniously set the first plates down in front of Nyanta and Purrcy. Immediately cat ears expressed interest and delight. "Belgian waffles!" Purrcy looked up intrigued. "However did you manage to find a waffle iron here at all?"

They grinned at her. "BigMusclesBill sent it as your wedding gift from the blacksmiths of Grandale," OciferJeff explained.

"And with apple butter, too!" She gave a long sniff and looked very happy. "You've worked hard for us this morning! Thank you," she said sincerely.

Nyanta took a bite, tasting it carefully. He finally nodded. "The texture is good and the flavors work together nicely. Well done, meow." The chefs of the morning bowed and finished giving breakfast to everyone else.

Once breakfast was well under way, Shiroe gave Tetorō a glance. Around his bites of food, Tetorō said, "Hahaue, we'll leave here after clean up time for the facilities of each division of the Corporation of Akiba, in their proper order. The shipyard and gate will come after that, then the visits with each of the fighting guilds. We'll just go in order over the next two days as it rolls." He looked at her to see if that worked for her. She gave a turn of her ear and a tip of her head.

Shiroe took over. "I've assumed you'd like to go straight into the board meeting the next morning after. I've tentatively scheduled it to begin at ten a.m." Purrcy looked at him politely and agreed with him. He looked back, tilting his head. "You know, if they weren't so anxious and still curious, they would have all scolded me for 'putting you right to work' so soon after your wedding."

Purrcy shrugged. "I'm sorry that for now they believe you're the only one at fault. I would have thought that last time they would have started figuring it out, but I'm sure once the board meeting is done, they'll understand finally."

Shiroe shifted back. "I take it you'll remove the restraints and go full Purrcy, then?"

"Of course, though it's full CEO, as you well know. Have you warned any of them yet?"

Shiroe considered it. "I did tell Woodstock. He cornered me, concerned Log Horizon would now have too much power, and I used the excuse that it was to restrain the CEO Purrcy."

Purrcy's whiskers and ears twitched in humor. "Well, I hope I won't force you to strenuous effort at the meeting." She looked up at him, humor and a bit of a challenge in her eyes. "I suppose you could claim that I chose Log Horizon because they were the only guild with enough strength to hold up under my perfectionistic demands."

Shiroe returned to his eating. Lightly cool, he answered, "If necessary."

A piece of waffle hit his forehead. He froze, stunned, then looked at Purrcy, becoming a bit angry. She was already standing next to him and he continued to look up towards her face in surprise. "Shiroe-kun," she said in a low voice as she placed her hands on his shoulders and moved her nose to be within a whisker's breath away from his. "You should not take this burden only on your own shoulders selfishly. You have stood between the council and the world for a long time now, and have borne the burden of it. I am here now and more than equal to the same task. As you have been protecting them, let me also protect you. You have enough to do."

Shiroe blinked at her. He frowned and finally asked, "What do you mean, then?"

She released him, crossed her arms, and leaned back against the table, looking into his face earnestly. "Let me be the one to make the unreasonable demands. Then when you stand as reconciliator and negotiator between us, you will be the friend and I will be vilified. You don't need to stand in that place for my sake. Haven't I already put myself in that position? It was I who tested them and failed them. It was I who made the promise to Rieze, and made her follow me humbly. It was I who listed the requirements you took to the negotiating table. I'm grateful you were able and capable to win them, but now you'll stand on their side and negotiate for them. Those who've already dealt with me won't be surprised by my forcefulness, and that will teach the others." She paused, searching his face. "And won't that then also prove to Woodstock your own words?"

Shiroe blinked at Purrcy. "But," he said a little weakly.

Purrcy shook her head. "We've already agreed it's time. They'll see the forceful Purrcy this time and will bow to your strength because of it, even if you show me a humble face. They already understand that outside that room I bend my own head to you humbly."

Shiroe sagged slightly and he sighed after a bit more thought. He nodded, if a bit glumly. "Very well, though I don't like to see you hated."

Isuzu snorted into her drink. "You think the rest of us like to see _you_ in that position?"

Shiroe's face fell and he heaved a bigger sigh. "No, I guess not."

Touya nodded wisely. "At least now you understand."

"I guess so," Shiroe agreed, looking a bit sadly up at Purrcy again.

Purrcy stood and patted Shiroe on the shoulder. "You'll be fine and so will we all. Each of us must carry our proper burdens." As she returned to her seat, she added, "I'll be gone for the rest of that day, once the meeting is over, but I should be back in time for dinner."

"Mew'll take me with mew," Nyanta said quietly.

"Yes, Nyanta," she answered obediently.

The remainder of the meal was the rest of the guild listing off their tasks for that day and the next several, now that they all understood the main tasks and goals of the guild. As the meal ended, several of the Eagles appeared at the head table. One slipped in between Purrcy and Nyanta and politely told Purrcy he would take her dishes for her. She barely acknowledged him enough to thank him, but Nyanta bristled slightly.

The guard then turned and also offered to take Nyanta's dish, picking it up as he made the offer. Nyanta was taken a bit aback, but nodded, his eyes slightly hard and suspicious, but unable to complain. Purrcy shifted out of that guard's space and rose. Another guard pulled her chair out for her. She had to step away from Nyanta because of the guard picking up his plate, and the second guard moved her chair to its proper placement.

As the first guard stepped away from that part of the table and between Purrcy and Shiroe to collect Shiroe's plate, a third guard arrived on her Nyanta side to speak with her. "Hahaue, it really isn't fair that you greeted everyone this morning but the sub-guild. You even forgot the Commander." His eyes were very sad. "We even worked hard for you this morning."

"That's laying it on a little thick, don't you think?" Tetorō said from behind him.

He got a scowl for his trouble. "If she'd ignored you, you'd have complained," the guard pointed out.

"That's true," Naotsugu agreed from his chair, where he was rising to do his part and take his dishes to the kitchen. He walked past Tetorō and snagged him on the way to get him moving towards the kitchen again.

Purrcy's ears were turning back and forth. "It wasn't meant as a slight," she finally said. "It's more that I've been seeing you all this whole time? But the others were here."

She got a rather odd look for that. "We weren't _all_ on duty," the guard pointed out.

Purrcy paused. "Well, no, I suppose not. I'm happy to greet you as well, you know." He took that as immediate permission and she was suddenly on his arm being escorted to where the tables had been removed and the majority of the Eagles were putting away the chairs. He escorted her to the Eagles closest to the head table. As they passed Michael, she ran a hand over his head, but didn't say anything. He put his hand on his head, a strange expression on his face. His plate had also been taken, so he'd still been sitting as well. Now he turned to watch what the rest of the sub-guild was doing.

Some of them greeted her face to face, offering her handshakes, or hugs. She accepted easily at first, but the farther they got from the table, the more anxious she seemed to become until one of the Eagles asked her if she'd become a cat so she could be pet. She immediately complied and seemed happier. Michael turned in surprise as the tenor of the table behind him also became more relaxed suddenly. He glanced at Nyanta and Shiroe. Both of them had eyes glued to her. He turned and looked back again at the sub-guild and his eyes narrowed. Standing up, he took himself into the kitchen, then turned back and observed from the kitchen door. He'd passed Naotsugu and Tetorō on their way back out and he watched them also. Naotsugu was headed for his usual location for right after breakfast, up to his room to finish getting ready for the day, but Tetorō paused between Shiroe and Nyanta, his eyes also going to Purrcy.

The Eagles Purrcy were greeting were now the ones who were closer to the door, for the most part cleaning the floor with brooms or performing other minor chores. Just as she was reaching the guard closest to the door to the outside, Shiroe shifted and Tetorō took a step forward. "Purrcy, could you come look at this for me?" a guard closer in called to her. She paused and turned back, turning back into felinoid on the way. She was distracted only briefly, then, as she turned back towards the door, she stopped and her tail twitched and an ear turned back. "Ah, I'm sorry, I interrupted you," the guard apologized. He began to move her towards the last guard. "Once you've done out here, I guess you'll do the kitchen? I'm sure they'd love to hear your thanks personally." She nodded but not as if she'd really heard what he'd said.

Just as she froze, Nyanta rose from his chair and headed for her. The last guard stepped forward and held out his hand. Purrcy took it and greeted him warmly, but her ear and tail wouldn't still until Nyanta was next to her. He was gallant in his words, but his body was stiff with disapproval. Tetorō met them halfway between that position and the head table, and Shiroe rose to greet her when they reached him. Michael stepped out of the kitchen and passed them, then turned to watch again.

Nyanta took Purrcy into the kitchen and stayed with her as she greeted the rest of the Eagles who were there. Tetorō inserted himself into the kitchen crew, beginning his own part of the after-meal chores, but his eyes continued to return to her. Shiroe stood in the door, like Michael had, and watched her from there. When Nyanta brought Purrcy back out of the kitchen, Shiroe led them into his office. Tetorō didn't settle until they were inside, behind the closed door. Even then, he seemed to be on higher alert.

"We'll meet up on the roof for a conference before things get busy today," Michael ordered the VFA-115 Eagles. "Come up when the chores are done." He sauntered up the stairs, taking his time.

He relaxed in one of the lounge chairs on the roof, his hands behind his head, until he heard, "All present and accounted for, Sir."

"Sooo...what'd you learn?" he asked without looking at any of them specifically.

"They don't want her to leave the guild hall, and she doesn't either."

"Or they don't want her to leave unescorted."

"Nyanta-san isn't as worried when she's in cat form - Tetorō and Mister Shiroe worry about it more than he does - but he doesn't like to be separated from her, particularly forcefully and without known reason. Shiroe goes on alert when she's boxed, but waits to see how it's handled, calculating his battle plan while looking patient. She doesn't see it as a threat, though she also goes on low alert."

"She's pretty relaxed until she's away from her centers at fifteen feet as felinoid. Distance doesn't matter as cat, only how close she gets to the door."

"They get moving at about four feet from the door."

"Was the testing after you hit the door limiter valid?" he asked.

"Yes, we've already tested for range before," came back. "It doesn't matter, though they did react more strongly when she was that close to the door and acted to retrieve her since we'd primed the pump this time. They don't act until she gets to between seventeen and twenty feet from her center normally. We can't tell if it's because she itches at fifteen and they're rescuing, though. We expect that as long as she was still in view, if she didn't ask for help they'd leave her alone."

"How do you fit in today's data point on the door with her complete casual answering of the door when guests come?" he asked, playing devil's advocate.

There was a pause for thought, then, "She's not going out, she's inviting others in."

"And she always comes right back in with them."

"Has she escaped before?" he asked, wondering just how much research they'd done.

"Yes. Once, in the shopping bags of Miss Marielle so she could learn what Crescent Moon League was like. They had to fetch her, of course, and there was a punishment, though not terribly severe because she had a valid reason."

"Only once, huh?" he asked, just a little surprised himself. "She really hasn't tried to go out walking on her own?"

"Nope."

"So, what brought it on?"

"She needs a minimum of six of us watching her when she's out. We want to know why."

" _She_ needs it?"

"Yes."

Michael blinked. He could understand why they wondered.

"But...," his most thoughtful mused, "she doesn't need anyone when she's outside the city, though she's willing to take Nyanta-san."

Michael shook his head. "No, she hasn't had the opportunity to have anyone before now. It's possible you'll have to test again once we're on the road. She needed six when it was just the two of them in an isolated part of town. It's possible that's a constant."

The silence of agreement met him. "But...why?" was finally voiced.

Michael was quiet for a bit, then he stood. "Go back and review the first time you met her in the flesh. She told us all then." He jammed his hands in his pockets and headed for the door to return inside the guild hall. She'd listed off a lot of reasons, but there was one that stood out in his mind. "... _at heart...I'm a coward._ " Even he hadn't believed it any more than Nyanta had...but everything spoke to it. She'd been alone in very dangerous situations for two years in this crazy world. That was her crazy. She wanted the reassurance she would be protected now, and not have to be afraid any more. She'd even given up her freedom for that promise, and the guild was serious about keeping that promise. Maybe that's why they were so tightly itchy for her. Michael wondered how much of it was a subconscious understanding. It might need to be addressed openly so it didn't come bite them later.

"You know," one of the sub-guild continued, though Michael was already inside and headed for stairs, "their arrival this morning...they couldn't wait until morning to walk in normally when they shouldn't have wanted to come back at all until they had to. Six wasn't enough anymore and the return was more training."

"And...," another added, "she had to greet them all first thing."

" _And_ ," a third said immediately, "Nyanta-san needed reassurance...or something."

Michael paused and leaned against the wall, mulling that over. "It's not the same kind of promise," he muttered, a frown between his brows. "Was she reassuring the guild that she was still okay? Was he patient because he was being tested, and that was the approval? Did something happen they aren't talking about?"

"I thought it was support?"

"It could have been," he wasn't committed either way yet. He turned and went back out onto the roof and turned off the sub-guild chat and waved them in close. When they were all close enough to hear quiet words, he said, "She's got a contract with them, based on them protecting her. As long as they do that, she gives them what they want. But they act as if even one slip-up on that and they'll cease to exist." He got nods. They felt it that way, too. "That's not healthy," he asserted. "Next question is, 'What's behind it?' and do they even understand it or is it all subconscious? It was set before I got here the first time."

"And that was?"

"I made it into town before it was locked down to take out the Plague Master, but didn't meet up with her until after that and they held the first Hacker class." He considered what else might be important. "They'd already decided the noble roles by then. The corporation was set up just after the classes were started, but they already knew she was a CEO type by then, and what she was bringing to that table. I learned it along with everyone else in town, though I did get a front row seat to it the rest didn't. They'd let her run when she was hot, and never did fret much if she was out on her own recognizance. They got awful depressed when she was locked up, but weren't ever concerned about it, but then Machiavelli-in-Glasses was running that show and they've got a lot of faith in him and his plans." He rubbed his jaw as he considered if there was anything else that might help. He didn't think her being a Summon was part of it - her fear and their protection. It might be part of _their_ fear - that she would get taken from them unexpectedly. He followed that thought for a bit but finally discarded it. It wasn't along the same path.

"They're still worried she'll be taken over by an Overwritten or an Observer," he mused, still walking down the path of open issues. He'd already passed by a few others that didn't have bearing. "I don't know why that would make _her_ jumpy, though." He moved on from that one. "There are times I'm the only one who can make her back down from anger, but then I'm not afraid like they are, nor was I part of that contract." But...while the anger would make the guild jumpy, again it wasn't her. For her, it was more like what he'd thought the morning of the wedding. She needed grounding. She was unbalanced. Certainly being afraid, needing a security blanket was that...so was her panic at the fashion show.

After the fashion show...it had been the confrontation with Shiroe at the pond. She hadn't let that lie, but had forced him to tell her his insecurities so he could in turn put hers aside? They'd discussed the meeting with the guildmasters of both cities then, and a bit the meeting to be held next. The times she had to be brave and take the fall. So she'd needed the strengthening to stand courageous for them?

He went back to that meeting and replayed it. Both sides had shown it a little more openly then, perhaps. "...She wants to know they can protect her, or perhaps rescue her, from the Overwriting...that's part of this level. The other goal...," he frowned, "it's tricky business." He thought about her night terror and the wedding in relation to that. "If she doesn't want to go home...and slips...she might end up there...or who knows where. It's possible she's not the one who's going to follow that thread, but I would expect her to be hiding fear pretty deep if she is the one who has to go." He blew out a breath and looked at the sky. "I don't know how they'd rescue her from that one. Not even we could, most likely. ...It might only be this level's a difficult one."

He watched the replay one more time, then paused it. "They've explained her title 'Caretaker', but she's also got two other titles: 'Justice of the East' and 'Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami'. She got one of them for erasing a fox spirit that possessed a girl, one that was created by the Witch over in Crescent Moon. She hadn't thought that erasure would do much, since it was in effect an artisan artifact, but it apparently did something." He tapped his toe. "The Witch has become a Shinto Priest, now, since he can manipulate spirit matter generally and create real curses. I wonder if that's the Priestess title? If so, then we need to find out what she got 'Justice of the East' for, just so we know how it all fits together. It's probably the only piece of the puzzle that's a blank for me at the moment. They don't talk about it." He sighed. "Since the lot of you aren't supposed to know that yet, I'll see what I can find out about the title. You lot see what you can find out about what happened from the time she got into town until the classes started."

"Geezer...she didn't know how to handle me calling her out," Gareth got just as sad a look on his face as he'd given her. "Are we decal? Or too close too much? Even for all we're a security blanket?"

There was agreement. "When we boxed her in, she wasn't concerned nearly enough for how concerned the others got."

Michael sighed to himself. "It's a different contract, like I said. We're comfortable, and comfort, and now that she's got hold of us, she won't let go, but she won't come and kill us either, if we bailed. She'd just be sad and let us have our freedom. She's been that way with me from the beginning. But them...I'm not sure it's the same. It's a deeper essential need and desperation. But at the same time, she's completely cold and heartless. She's got a definite purpose for them and she'll use them in it until they break or the goal is won."

He shook his head. "I don't know if I can get it right when it's put to words. Any of you need her attention, ask for it and you'll get it. But you're adults to her. You know how to run and you know when to seek mama. For them, it's more...," he tried it again, smacking his lips a bit, trying to get the right flavor, "they're still children - all of them - and she's training them up, so she's uber-focused on making sure they're going the direction she wants them to go." He sighed. "That's the best I've got. The love of a mother never ends. She loves the lot of you, too. Don't let that worry get you down. Make her play with you more if you're getting worried, though you might get a beating as much as anything, like most times attention's asked for. When mama's happy --"

"-- Let well enough alone so everyone can stay happy," Reed said with a bit of an order to everyone in his voice.

Michael let it stand. "But get your hugs when you need them," he added mildly. He headed back for the inside, then paused with his hand on the doorframe and turned back. "Actually, if she loses the rest, she'll need us all to get her back on her feet. She's already admitted she can walk away from them, but only if she takes us with her. Don't underestimate the importance of the security blanket. Her need for one is at the core of what you're digging for, after all." They looked more determined for having heard that much. He nodded to himself and let himself back into the guild hall, knocking Tetorō's code self off the lintel over the door and into his hand.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael let himself into Tetorō's room and dropped him back into his body, then stood there with his arms folded until the younger man was back outside and looking at him. "You really shouldn't listen in on everything, you know. You're going to hear hard things more than you want to."

Tetorō was struggling to not be angry. Michael waited calmly. Tetorō had been as jumpy as Nyanta and Shiroe at the testing the sub-guild had put them through. It wasn't surprising he'd wanted to know what they were going to talk about. He just shouldn't have. Finally Tetorō asked, "Why is it even a topic of discussion?"

"Because they need to know."

"Will knowing change what they do?" Tetorō accused.

"No, probably not, at least not for a while, but as long as they feel jealous underneath it all it will eventually become a problem none of us want to have happen."

Tetorō looked at him in surprise. "Jealous?"

Michael looked at him impatiently. "Come on, you saw it, even were on the other side of it when you tried to interfere this morning."

Tetorō pulled back and bit his lower lip. Finally he held onto his crossed legs, leaned back, and began to rock a little. "Alright. I can't deny that. I already know I've got a jealous streak that's hard to tame." Michael smiled on the inside, but kept a straight face on the outside. "But, it's Hahaue. There's no 'why'."

Michael shook his head. "If they've asked the question, then it exists and needs an answer. Such things form the basis of loyalty, just like what I said to Shiroe before. They've not known her until she showed up this time around. They need to understand her and why the rest of us are willing to put up with her crap and not slap her when we get irritated. They're grateful she helped them out of their bind, and I think they respect her enough for her skill-set, but it isn't enough to keep them." He tipped his head. "Even I'll let them go if they don't want to stay in the end, though I'd hate to see the squad broken up."

Tetorō pursed his lips and nodded. "That I understand." He looked away, thinking. "So...it's like their testing of her, making sure walking that direction's really the way to go?" Michael nodded. Tetorō stopped rocking and pulled his knees up in front of his chest and held them in his arms. He always looked a little lost when he did that. "Are you going to make me tell you everything they want to know?" he asked, looking a bit suspicious.

Michael shook his head. "No. I'll probably ask you the questions on the information I'm supposed to gather, but it's their milestone. They'll do the footwork to get what they need, as they should."

Tetorō nodded once, his gaze slipping out into nowhere. For a while he was silent, then he sighed and asked, "Do you really think she's just using us?" It was rather heartbreaking.

Michael moved. He would never allow it to be seen outside of this kind of private setting, but he'd been watching Tetorō a while now, and they'd been partnered, so it had become even more obvious. He sat down next to Tetorō and ran a comforting hand down the back of his head, petting him as if petting Purrcy, and went soft. "No, not that way, Tetorō. She loves the lot of you deeply. It isn't in her heart to just throw you at difficult problems, then throw you away. The world AI, yes, but not Purrcy." He paused, leaving his hand on Tetorō's shoulder. The touch was the thing Tetorō needed when his woman came out and needed soothing.

"They haven't told anyone that I'm aware of, not even me, but I can see it in the two of them, Tetorō. It isn't that." He paused again and Tetorō looked at him, curious. Michael took a long, slow, quiet breath. "They aren't going home, Tetorō. And she figures we won't either, but she knows all of you will. She's staying just detached enough that she can let you go and continue to grow up without her."

Tetorō froze and looked at him with wide eyes. "Wi-will you stay?"

Michael shook his head. "I don't know. We haven't gotten there yet, have we? And until the rest of them are done deciding if they'll even follow her, it isn't a question to even bring up yet. Maybe by the end of this level of the dungeon we'll have enough information to be able to answer that question, but it's open ended for now."

Tetorō blinked a few times, then nodded miserably. He put his head down on his knees. "Michael...," he closed his eyes, "I don't want to leave her behind. That hurts too much." His voice caught.

Michael nodded. "I know. That's why you're her children and she's focused on you all right now. You all need her as much as any youngster needs their mother, and she's trying to reassure you she's still here as long as you're still here." He shifted so that he could comfortably hold the weeping man-woman in his arm. "And I'm guessing that's at the basis of all you folk's fear, too. You've all understood it at some level and are afraid she's going to walk out and not come back - separation anxiety. But that's just my guess. We'll see what the squad comes up with. ...Especially since only you and Shiroe react that way. He already knows, and you've figured it out without knowing you have. ...Because you're like that. One of the best wingmen around."

Michael leaned back and rested his head on the wall and sighed. The intuitives were the hardest sometimes, but they were well worth it. He still wondered how he'd gotten here and why Purrcy had put them together, but for the moment it was the right person at the right time. Not many others would have known what to do to keep this one sane and moving forward, except maybe Naotsugu, and likely he wouldn't have either in this situation. But it was why he'd scolded him too. It was too soon for him to know it. Tetorō was going to have to carry that burden now for longer than he probably should have.

Of course, that happened with intuitives, too. They figured out stuff early and because of it had to carry bigger burdens sometimes. Purrcy was a heavy one. Michael hadn't been kidding when he'd told Nyanta he'd not even make it two days if he had to carry her himself, without help. He really hoped Nyanta knew what he was doing. Allowing her to come home early wasn't a good sign, really, but then, Nyanta was the psychologist. There was a lot Michael still didn't know that Nyanta did. He'd be content with just dealing with one feminine man that he did understand.

Michael wasn't surprised when the door opened, then closed quietly and a cat joined them on the bed. He looked at her as she walked up onto Tetorō's shoulders and lay down on them, purring for him in his ear and brushing his head with hers until he finally reached up a hand and put it on the top of her head. Michael was surprised when, only a few moments later, a second cat joined them to sit on the bed next to Tetorō on the other side and purr in his other ear. As Tetorō began to calm, Michael looked at Nyanta. "So...why did you come home early?"

Purrcy and Nyanta both looked at him. Nyanta blinked a slow cat blink. "So the children could begin their day at peace and happy, meow," Nyanta answered.

"He already knew," Purrcy added. "You figured it out a day late. He cried all night last night, and the night before was up nearly all night worrying on it. How could they not understand it after you made us say why we'd agreed to the marriage?"

Michael was convicted. "I'm sorry, Tetorō," he said, petting him one more time. "I took too long to understand." He paused, remembering. "So that's why. Isuzu and Naotsugu've figured it out already, too." He looked away remembering the rest. "And Touya's mad about it. ...And Minori and Akatsuki?" he raised an eyebrow.

"The younger girls spent the night with Akatsuki last night, not able to sleep for having had a whole day to think on it, though they were worn out enough the night before." Michael wasn't surprised Purrcy was keeping watch over them all.

Tetorō wiped his eyes and sniffed. A handkerchief appeared on his knees, though it looked like it was from Nyanta, not Purrcy. He used it, then looked at Michael again. "Why didn't the rest of you notice or care?"

Michael shook his head. "I already said it. They haven't learned where they fit yet, so it's not as deep a thing. It was more important to understand they were thinking straight where they are."

"And you?" Tetorō wasn't going to let it stop there.

Michael sighed and looked at Nyanta. "Until we know we can go home, there's no point, is there?" He let go of Tetorō and left the bed, his own emotions suddenly conflicted.

"Michael!" Purrcy called. He stopped, a bit surprised. He turned his head to listen. "Thank you for being brave enough to decide to walk with us." He almost shrugged, then decided to nod instead. "And...I'm sorry."

Michael did turn at that. "What for?" he asked in surprise.

Purrcy had moved to the bed, in the spot he had just left, and her tail was curled around to rest on her front paws. "I'm afraid it's rather a bad habit of mine to love too many people at once," she said calmly, yet apologetically.

Michael blinked and Nyanta's ear twitched as he tensed a bit. As Michael tried to come up with an answer, Purrcy pushed on Tetorō with her head. Tetorō looked at her, then at Nyanta, then back at Michael. He sighed and slipped off the bed and arrived in front of Michael. Putting his hand on Michael's arm, he looked at him in the eye. "You aren't alone, Michael. We're here with you and for you...and I know _exactly_ how you feel. I've had to settle for being a son, but they know it isn't what I wanted, any more than I wanted to let Naotsugu go to Marie." He gave a wry look. "Like I said, I'm well aware I've got a jealous streak a mile wide. Hahaue keeps making me cross it, though, and put it aside. Pick another role that works for you, too. It will help. _I_ think of you as another older brother, but maybe you'd feel better if you went for younger brother to Hahaue instead of son. The rest of the house could use an uncle."

Michael almost laughed and brushed it aside. It must have shown on his face. "Michael-nyan." It was Nyanta this time and he looked at the grey cat. Nyanta had moved to stand next to Purrcy and he was also looking rather formal. "Don't. In a house like this one, mew must face it purroperly and resolve it, or it will make the house fall. This level is even more dangerous than the first was. None of us can afford weakness in the house or it, and all of Theldesia will crumble."

Michael paused, feeling how serious they felt about it. It also fit with the morning's sub-guild meeting. "Why? and how do you know it's that far reaching?"

"Because Shiroe-ichi's goal is the peaceful survival of all Adventurers on Theldesia, not just their returning home. Our guild holds the core of that goal. Purrcy is about to help Shiroe-ichi spread it into Yamato and then into the rest of Theldesia, and she needs mew. Tetorō needs mew, and she also needs Tetorō. The goal cannot be accomplished without the one's she has gathered into the party."

Michael blinked. "So...not only does she already know she's crossed lines she shouldn't have, Shiroe's also concerned about the future for if we don't make it home." All three nodded. "She's that important to his goals you'll put up with it, and even change enough to live with it all." Nyanta dipped his head and Tetorō nodded again. Michael narrowed his eyes at Nyanta. "You would have refused her otherwise."

Nyanta paused, then carefully said, "When I learned what she was, I would have refused, yes, but the need was greater than my reluctance. And...she also meets my needs. It's not an incorrect pairing. The fact that it also gains the greatest benefit for Shiroe-ichi's goal and the future of the Adventurers on Theldesia is nothing to set lightly aside."

Michael looked between him and Purrcy a few times, then shook his head. "That's gone and made it too complicated, really. I want to scold the lot of you for it. Marriages for convenience sake when it should be love...," he shrugged.

"Sometimes the arranged marriages are the better ones," Purrcy said quietly.

"Arranged?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

"The Superuser made a deal with Shiroe," she answered calmly. "And before that, it made one with me. It needs both of us to solve its problems, and those solutions are in line with our goals."

"Even if you put your own life on the line?" he asked, his eyes narrow again.

"My life can't be put on the line," she answered calmly. "The Superuser has chosen me because of that fact."

Michael blinked. "Then why are you so afraid?" It was blurted out before he could prevent it.

Purrcy's ear dipped and she shook her head. "No. Let them figure that one out," she said kindly. "It's their right to understand it to the best of their ability."

Michael rubbed his forehead. "Of course, you heard it all anyway." He glared lightly at Tetorō. "Probably piggybacked you." Tetorō shrugged, not terribly sorry about it. Michael sighed. "All right. ...I think I'll go with older brother, then." He glared at Purrcy. "It means I'll have the excuse to scold, torment, and tease you mercilessly whenever I get cranky."

Nyanta nodded. "Fine, as long as mew're uncle enough to the rest of them to keep them happy, and not upset with mew. Divide the house and we will leave mew behind, regardless."

"Fine," Michael agreed. He looked at Purrcy. "Then I get my last hug, and first hug, next."

She gracefully stepped forward and to the floor, becoming felinoid by the time she reached him. He embraced her and let what feelings of attraction he had go until they were gone, then he drew on the feeling of being a brother. That wasn't hard - he was one at home, too - and then he pinched her and let go as she jumped. He almost stuck his tongue out at her, but turned to Tetorō instead and rubbed the younger man's head, ignoring her ire. "I guess we'll have to keep putting up with her, then, I suppose." He said it in as resigned a voice as possible.

Tetorō nodded with only partially mock sad sympathy. "Yeah, I guess so." They both sighed at the same time.

Purrcy turned her back on them and held out her hand to Nyanta. Nyanta left the bed and became felinoid as well. He took her in his arms and pet her head, as if giving her comfort in the face of their rejection. She asked him a quiet question and he nodded in response. She sighed, then turned to face them again. Properly, she bowed to them. "Please - continue to take care of me," she requested.

"I'm sure it isn't possible not to," Michael said in a rather bored tone. ...But he smiled for her.

"Always," Tetorō answered her, his look for her gentle.


	20. Measure of the Production Guilds

"Is Roderick Trading Company large?" Purrcy asked. "We seemed to walk a long time when I was blind in a pocket."

Tetorō nodded. "It's in one of the universities in town, or at least what was a university in our time."

"How many buildings are on the campus?" She was mostly passing the time with conversation, as was her habit as they walked to town. She hardly paid attention to it, though, except to catch the size enough to put an estimated map in her head. She amused another portion of her brain by looking at the personal information of this day's guards. She'd been assigned the Operations division. Records and Schedules were in front of her, Training and Charlie (Communications) were behind her. They certainly did a decent job of picking her guards, when it was important.

When the silence had gone on just long enough, she commented, "Ops, make sure you all open your mouths today if I miss an important point. You'll pick up more than I will; and take copious notes for later. Charlie, make sure Clocktower's on the prowl when we get to Marine Organization and Shopping District 8. I want his opinion on their current packaging and shipping methods. He'll need to be at the shipyard too. I'll want Navigation there as well. I need to sit and talk to the sailor Shiroe found."

"Yes, Ma'am," Charlie answered quietly. She watched as the hidden duty roll shifted to add Clocktower, Navigation, and Michael. She was mildly humored that she'd touched on a thing Michael hadn't expected, or perhaps he'd not had time yet? It wasn't usual for him to take a hidden spot, either, but she wasn't going to tell him not to practice. She'd likely not been giving him much time for that either.

"Training, I'll want your eyes and ears sharp at West Wind Brigade. I'd like to assign you as Log Horizon's rep to the Academy general meetings held by Crescent Moon. I can't get to them and I think it would help to have someone there who can make it so they feel heard."

"Yes, Ma'am." The voice on her left was just as respectful as Charlie's had been.

"Nyanta, as Manager, I'll be relying on you to keep me focused. This is an observation and exploratory visit today, not research and idea visit. If I stray, let me know. Tetorō, you'll be interference if the people on the other side want to visit too long. The only place we'll bend that is at the gate. Any help I can give there is likely essential." She bit at her lip a bit. "Set Michael, Reed, and CM/C to discussing if all of the Maintenance division should be present at the gate. I don't want the Eagles to be considered gate maintenance, but it might be wise if we got backup knowledge in house. You never know what will come up while we're on the road. If it looks like we should get more in-depth into it, we'll schedule a time for them and me to show up for a full day or more."

The men on either side of her relaxed a bit when she finally paused in her orders. She noted it and moved on, then stopped her brain's forward motion and backed it up to look at them. "What?" she asked.

"You're running it back up to yellow," Tetorō answered.

Purrcy raised an eyebrow. "Okay. Just using my brain the normal way. It'd be worse if I was focused on a research subject."

"As I thought. Purrcy's normal brain function is rather excessive." Tetorō commented.

"That'd be an interesting experiment. Put your meter on the researchers at Roderick's place and see how they measure. You could also try it on the crafters when they're focused and see if it differs. When you get back home, you'll already have the beginnings of a master's research thesis, ...or you'll already have one if we take too long - a Master's that is." Her mind was already on to other things, her feet never having stopped moving forward. "I wonder if, or when, Marie and I will get that far. We still need to work on how the long term coursework will look for the Academy. At the very least we'll be working on the High School diploma equivalent the next time we come round to being able to focus, but that won't be this time. Maybe we'll have time to throw ideas around while we're traveling."

Purrcy looked around the area they were walking in. People were coming and going, so they were close to the main part of town, but it wasn't an area she was familiar with. She slowed down just a little to take in the space and learn the landmarks. When the two behind her didn't slow down right away, but moved up on her, she didn't speed up, finding some comfort in having them closer, but her ears did lift off her head a little, going from worry to interest. She noticed that the front two guards hadn't slowed down and were getting ahead. She glared at their backs and her tail twitched. When it was obvious she would have to be obvious, she snapped them both with her special brand of Electrical Fuzz that was more like Electrical Shock - rather like getting shocked on the door handle when you've walked through a carpeted room in a dry winter.

The two men looked back at her in surprise, looked at each other, then stopped to wait for the rest of them to catch up. Then they walked so slow she was almost walking on their heels. She finally reached out and grabbed the back of their necks, one hand on each of them and said testily, "You've already done this experiment. Running it again won't change anything. Yes, I'm nervous when I enter a new area I'm unfamiliar with. I've been a Solo for two years, for goodness sake. If the lot of you weren't here I'd be skulking from building shadow to building shadow like the ones of you who aren't visible - until I learned the area and it's patterns anyway. Solo's that aren't paranoid die - frequently. Log Horizon wants me to at least _appear_ normal when I'm let outside. Walk the proper formation!" She released them and shoved on their backs until they were closer than the first part of the walk, close enough for her to feel sufficiently protected, but far enough ahead she wasn't walking on their heels. It was also the minimum distance she and they needed to defend herself. When they humbly went back to proper protocol, she returned to trying to understand the area they were in.

There were a number of calm food shops as well as scholarly supply stores here. In the distance down the road, she could see the more busy part of Akiba's market district. The larger buildings that made up the university complex now owned by Roderick Trading Company were in view. Somehow Purrcy was surprised that the feel of this street area and the traffic going into and out of the guild complex was really more that of "university town" than "place of employment". "I could get used to this. ...At least if it's like this on the inside, too."

"Mew said mew went to a large university," Nyanta sort of asked.

"Umhm," Purrcy affirmed. "It was a lot like this walking from the apartments outside of campus, through the shopping district, and up to the university. Lots of students coming and going busily, unless it was Sunday morning and they were all sleeping in. Does Roderick have thousands of guild members too?"

"It might be about that," Tetorō allowed. "I think between the guild members and those who've joined in the work since the catastrophe there might be about half that actually present on site."

"That's still pretty impressive," Purrcy said. "I think we might let him really handle the college side of the education, then. We should probably stick to primary, secondary, and vocational school at the Academy. That division's pretty obvious when you're looking at it, even from the outside."

"When you talk like that, Hahaue, you make me feel like you don't trust Shiroe," Tetorō complained.

Mildly she answered, as she continued to look around, "You know it's because I think about the long term plans for if we stay that he's now free to focus on just getting us home, right?" Tetorō's mouth opened as if he wanted to argue, then closed. Perhaps he'd given up. Purrcy wasn't sure. She did add that to her own to-do notes: to make sure at their next meeting of just her and Shiroe they made that division of labor formal. It would free them both up immensely, and they'd still be available to help the other as requested.

-:-:-:-:-

Roderick settled his glasses better on his nose and considered the black calico femfelinoid in front of him. If she were simply the supplier of items and ideas that she had been for Akaneya and Woodstock, he would already be wooing her to a desk in his guild hall, somewhere he could observe her working. She was an intriguing specimen. Even as a member of Log Horizon, he might have been able to convince her to come part time. But Shiroe had made it obvious in the last several days that she was out of reach, untouchable. It was a little more than irritating. Shiroe often had grand plans, but to keep such a treasure selfishly all his own was surely grandiose.

"Tetorō requested a tour of the guild for you this morning, Miss Purrcy. I would be very interested in hearing your opinions on anything you find of interest." Roderick hoped at the very least to tempt her over. Even if Shiroe did have her now, he'd also been the one to allow the Adventurers to choose. Since this was her first time to see with her own eyes the full glory of the best research facility and guild, perhaps she could be convinced to see that this was a more appropriate home for someone with her unique skills and mind. "Were there specific departments you wanted to see?"

"All of them," Purrcy answered lightly.

"We're a large research house, with a great diversity of subjects. 'All' might be perhaps overwhelming?" He wouldn't mind occupying the majority of her day. It would mean more time to win her over. But he did want to make sure she understood the scope of what she was asking. Not to mention he shouldn't appear overeager in the face of her two usual Log Horizon escorts. That was a thing he didn't quite understand either. She was rarely seen outside of the Log Horizon guild hall, and if she was she always had at least two with her, and now, since the fighting group had come, also seemed to have some of them along as an additional escort. It was difficult to understand if it was Shiroe trying to protect his asset from the rest of the city and the guilds (an offensive slight), or if there was an underlying reason that wasn't apparent yet. If she really were a Game Moderator then there might be some call to giving her both the respect and the protection of an honor guard. ...In the end it seemed rather excessive.

"So I understand from what little I've heard. It's marvelous that you're able to maintain an atmosphere of pure research and investigation. Your guild hall has certainly reminded me of my own higher education. My father was a researcher and professor at a university for a time, so I grew up in this kind of atmosphere. I'm looking forward to seeing what your guild is doing here."

Roderick was heartened at her words. If she could be made to feel like she was merely coming home, he might already have his foot in the door. "Well, I'd be happy to show you whatever you'd like to visit."

"Then begin at one end and take me the full circuit. Today just needs to be a summary survey. Once I've understood it, then I can more easily dive into the details another time." That wasn't as good news as he'd hoped for, but if he could get a promise of a return visit, then it wouldn't be lost, by any means. Sometimes patience was called for.

"Very well," Roderick motioned them onward, though he did still think that it was too much, really. He used the time between departments to try to woo her over, answering Purrcy's questions as if trying to win over a prized potential student.

It was when he was answering her questions about how he and his department heads had streamlined their processes and the flow of information between departments and to the other guilds that he belatedly remembered that Purrcy was also the person that Shiroe had been sitting as negotiator for at the table that had started that change. It was a strange and sudden different feeling. It took him a moment to word his answer, and from that time on he considered all of her words and his answers more deeply.

By the time the visitors from Log Horizon were leaving him at the gate, he wasn't sure any more. He walked slowly back to his office rethinking it from the beginning again. That had been a rather important data point to have left out of his calculations. The visit had a different meaning when it was included.

-:-:-:-:-

"Akaneya-san, it's good to see you again." Purrcy extended her hand kindly to greet her first benefactor.

Akaneya took her hand warmly, but inside, he wasn't sure anymore how to face her. She had become something very different from what he had assumed for so long. "Thank you for coming to visit again. Tetorō asked if you could come and tour the place, but you've been here before many times?"

Purrcy smiled. "I know, but things have changed and I was hoping to be able to understand those changes. Is it okay that I've used that as the excuse to come see you and everyone again? It will be difficult to not bring things to you. I'm rather in the habit now."

"That isn't very sincere when you were the cause of those changes, is it?" he reproved her mildly.

Purrcy sighed sadly. "Well, I suppose it would seem that way. I'm very sorry. I did enjoy working with Radio Market very much, for all I was limited in capacity and courage. I would like to be able to continue to work with you into the future." Her look was sadly hopeful. "I've come to trust your crafters and their brilliance. I'm always grateful for their efforts in my behalf, and for your care." She turned away slightly when he still had no answer for her, her ears falling. "Well, I suppose it may be too much to ask. I won't take much of your time. I would only like to understand what those changes have done to a guild that was worthy of more than I could give it."

Tetorō shifted and Akaneya looked at him sharply. That youngster was already in her pocket as well. He was looking sad as well, and as if he wanted to speak, but was holding his tongue. Perhaps relenting enough to show her what she had done would be properly educational. "You may see it," he said calmly and invited them to step back out of his office.

As Akaneya passed Nyanta, her new husband said quietly, "She will bear her punishment, but there are parts of the story of Minami that mew do not know." Akaneya raised an eyebrow at Nyanta, but the other man moved on without further explanation, not using it as an excuse to step in and prevent it.

Akaneya considered it carefully as they walked to the first of the new changes. The storefront was empty now, and so were the warehouse shelves that had held the exotic products he had purchased from solos like Purrcy. "How many of your other dedicated suppliers have left Akiba, angry with the change?"

Akaneya cringed. Her first question made it obvious she already understood it. "Enough were unhappy that I wouldn't be directly selling that we've lost more than sixty percent to the small shops in town. Most were unwilling to leave Akiba altogether, though we may lose some now that Minami is set to become more stable."

Purrcy nodded. "That is rather high, but I'm honestly surprised it wasn't more."

"The remainder are less...quirky, and just want to sell, so it doesn't matter quite so much. Or they see the benefit to the changes, though that is a very small number." He looked away from Purrcy's pensive posture. "Some still come to visit, however, since I have personal relationships with them as well."

"That's good," her words sounded genuine, but he still wondered at her sincerity. Tetorō taking her hand was perhaps not surprising, but when Nyanta pet Purrcy in a brief gesture of comfort, that was more the sign Akaneya was looking for. She might have to deal with the consequences of what had been done, but the punishment wasn't fully justified in their eyes.

The story of the revolution in Minami had been told multiple times in Akiba, including at the Round Table once everyone was gathered together again. Knowing Indicus and the General from the Senate had been at the core of the troubles, and that Purrcy had been one of the murdered Adventurers, it was possible that there had been other pieces not spoken in the open yet. Truth be told, Akaneya was looking for straws of hope to grasp. His admiration of Purrcy had never been based on her intelligence or personality. If personality was the judge, he wouldn't have been able to have worked with any of the crazy solos he'd worked with. Rather it was based on her willingness to continue forward, regardless. Very likely even this visit was the same. He hoped she had enough of it. The guild in general didn't know - yet. But when it came out she was the owner of Venture Enterprises, she might not be a welcome face in the guild hall thereafter.

Of course, that assumed that knowledge was made public. So far it hadn't been. There weren't many who knew Venture Enterprises was the driving force behind the changes anyway. Most of the participants of the negotiation had merely said the guildmasters had finally sat in negotiations and finally settled on a more appropriate direction to take the city. That meant he had taken most of the brunt of the ire of his guild already, as they all had. But, she was still the source of it. It was only right she see what the outcome had become.

Akaneya put his hand on the handle of the door that led into the room his crafters were in. He looked into her face and said, "Treat it like you did your last visit. Go and speak with each one and ask them what they're working on now, and what they'll be working on next." As long as there was more story to hear to understand, he could continue to be the one his guild members were angry with. He didn't go in with them. He wanted the crafters to feel like they could vent to her. Then she would fully understand.

When the Log Horizon party walked back into his office, Akaneya looked up from his work, but didn't rise. "I'm very sorry, Akaneya," Purrcy said immediately. "It was too sudden a change from what the guild had been built on, even though they were well suited for the task." She had understood. "Shiroe's solution to this in the past has always been to take the blame and anger on his own shoulders." Akaneya wasn't surprised she understood that, too. "In this thing, that is my responsibility and place, not his, but before I step into that place, I would know if you think it's the correct answer." Akaneya blinked. He hadn't expected that question.

Carefully he answered, "Until I can understand the entirety of it, I can't answer that question."

Purrcy nodded. "Then please consider all possibilities for now. More will be made clear at the next Round Table conference. Perhaps after that we can come to a determination of the proper way to face the guild members to help them forgive and find their joy again." She bowed. "Thank you for allowing me to visit today." He nodded at her and she took herself and her escort out of his office. With a sigh, he went back to his work. It would be nice if the guild could finally be settled again - before he was left guildless.

-:-:-:-:-

Woodstock received notice from his intelligence gatherer outside Radio Market that Purrcy had left that guild hall. He left his work and walked to where the storefront used to be to wait for her there. When she walked in with her guards and escorts, he met her with folded arms and a set expression. Her ear twitched to see it, but she still walked straight up to greet him.

Bowing, Purrcy solemnly said, "Woodstock-san, I'm sorry for being the source of chaos and distress within Grandale. If it were possible I would have prevented it. What may I do to correct it?"

"Is that what you've learned from visiting Radio Market?" he asked her.

"Yes, one of the things," she answered honestly.

"And what will you do for them?"

Purrcy shook her head. "Akaneya-san wishes to understand more fully before he makes his request. I've asked him to think of all the possible things that might be done, and we will discuss it after the next Round Table meeting."

Woodstock tipped his head as he considered her answer. He trusted Akaneya's judgment, particularly of difficult solos like Purrcy. "Then I'll come and give my suggestions as well."

Purrcy bowed again slightly. "Very well. Thank you. May I please see the changes that have happened here?"

Woodstock took her measure, then nodded. He led them back to the crafters section and gave her quiet summaries, but didn't let her talk to them. They ended in the new blacksmithy that adjoined the guild hall. "Even now they are rivals, though since you made them work together, they're beginning to find a better balance." His wave included the blacksmiths from Marine Organization and from his own. There were a few from Shopping District 8 as well, who before then had been left out of everything. Woodstock had convinced BigMusclesBill to give them a specific piece of that project to work on all their own, and that had helped.

"I'm glad a little good has come about, then," Purrcy said quietly. Woodstock nodded his silent agreement. But...it really wasn't enough. "I will try harder," Purrcy promised, "when a path has been chosen." Woodstock looked at her a while. She seemed determined, but in his eyes, also very young and still inexperienced.

"See that you do," he finally said. Purrcy bowed.

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta made Purrcy eat after that visit. It was already after lunch time and to see her most beloved guilds brought to even some level of bitterness had been hard on her. Recovery was essential before they continued on. The solution would have to be found, or her punishment shouldered, but he and Tetorō understood that a portion of the cause had been because she was moving to the will of the Puppet Master, Indicus, when the changes had occurred in the guilds. It was hard to explain such a thing to the others.

"Purrcy, don't try to come up with the solution all on meowr own," he admonished now. "Allow Shiroe-ichi to also help."

"Will he think of anything new?" Purrcy asked.

"Yes. He's only blind when it comes to his own person. He does protect those he can," Nyanta answered with conviction. Tetorō nodded agreement.

Purrcy sighed, putting her head down on her arms. "Okay." It was muffled and unhappy. Nyanta and Tetorō both pet her, one on either side.

Michael walked up to their table and took the seat across from Purrcy. She sat up and looked at him, her ear pricked towards him and her tail twitching in small nervous twitches. He settled and put clasped hands on the table as if he were about to lecture or scold. When he was sure he had her attention, he began, "Purrcy, there's a thing I told Shiroe that you'd do well to remember." Purrcy blinked. "You don't make people do anything. You hired him as your negotiator, but it was exactly and only that - a negotiation. None of them had to participate. Any of them could have stood up and walked out of that room, or changed the terms of the agreement to better suit their guilds."

"When there's change in any organization, there's stress and acclimation to the new ways of being and doing. It's impossible for everyone to be happy when change occurs, but that doesn't mean the change wasn't for the betterment of all. While there might be things you can do to help those who are unhappy come to an understanding of the benefits both for them and those they can influence, you shouldn't take on yourself their choices they make for themselves, particularly those of choosing any particular emotion."

"Remember that you have things that need to be done, that each step likely holds negotiation elements, but that you can only change things in your sphere of control, and suggest change in your sphere of influence. Taking responsibility for things outside your sphere of control isn't right, including the choices others decide for themselves. You can feel bad if they made wrong choices and offer to help, but you can't fix it for them. It's their responsibility to fix it. You do this already naturally in the home. It's the same for organizations."

Nyanta blinked. He wasn't sure that philosophy was held in quite the same way in Japan. However, Purrcy would be able to show an American face to the Round Table. It would need to be something they discussed in more detail before the Round Table meeting. For now, encouragement to strengthen her for her day's tasks was perhaps more important.

"Face each place remembering you are fact gathering today," Michael continued. "If you're unhappy about where you just were, figure out what specifically wasn't done or still needs to be done and add it to the list of facts for that location to be brought up at the meeting. You can be sympathetic, and you can make suggestions as well as listen to the suggestions of the others, but only the guildmasters can affect their guilds. You understand?"

Purrcy nodded. "Yes, Michael. Thank you." She looked inward for a bit as if making her mental notes, but returned when the meal was brought to the table.

-:-:-:-:-

West Wind Brigade welcomed Purrcy with excitement and open arms. Nazuna was pleased with her first action - thanking the guild for participating in helping with the wedding celebration, and with the Meet and Greet after the fashion show. Soujirou watched this day, wanting to let Purrcy interact with the rest of his guild. The guild welcomed her in and gave her a tour of the guild hall. West Wind Brigade really wasn't much different than Crescent Moon, except larger and perhaps fewer male members.

The girls could be relaxed around Purrcy since she was married and had her own reverse harem with her, as seemed to be her usual. Soujirou did wonder how that had worked out to have both and wondered if he should ask her for some advice, or maybe if he should ask Nyanta. Things had gotten a bit out of hand for a while before they'd realized Nazuna was having troubles she couldn't control. Then the others had relented and swept back in to lift her up again. There were still a few who had difficulty letting the jealousy go, but they were keeping quiet about it lately with the others putting pressure on them instead.

The increased responsibility and reliance of Akiba on the guild had been good for it. Some who needed more had volunteered as the teachers at the Academy and the increased strength of those guild members had increased the strength of the guild as a whole. The guild was starting to feel more mature because of it. Even if he was the glue that held it all together, each person needed to grow and move forward to stay strong, not continuously rely on only him for their strength and purpose in life. He liked the current path they were on, though he guarded it carefully still. The fact Shiroe was putting him closer to Log Horizon worried him. Being told Purrcy was trying to protect him helped, but made him curious. So he watched.

When the tour was over, the ladies all swept Purrcy and her immediate escort (some had stayed at the front door and in the front hall) into the guild hall meeting room, that was also the dining room at meal time. As always, cookies and little cakes appeared with tea and coffee. Someone was always baking, so they were always available. After visiting pleasantly for a short while, long enough to eat a few small treats and answer a few more questions, Purrcy extricated herself enough to stand at the front of the room. Her escorts got a little more formal and the room settled down for her rather organically.

"Thank you for all your hard work," Purrcy started out with. "In addition to what you've all kindly done for me personally, you've also done very much for Akiba, and for the Academy. As the Dean of the Academy, I would like to take a moment if I may to reward West Wind Brigade." She motioned to Soujirou and he moved to walk up to her, looking at her curiously. "For service to the Academy and students, as well as calm duty in the line of fire, I award West Wind Brigade a commendation."

A glowing light left Purrcy's hand and approached Soujirou's chest. It rested on his left breast, then turned into a golden paw print. He looked at it for a moment, then looked at her, not sure he wanted one more thing to tie his guild to hers, though he kept his face clear. She had completely left Log Horizon out of her pronouncement. To her, that was likely a distinction. "Also, I wish to thank you for your part in making sure that Nakalnad and his army were sent away without harming Akiba to play their proper part in Minami and at the Maze of Eternity. I would not be here without that action on your part. Thank you." Purrcy bowed to Soujirou.

He raised an eyebrow. He wasn't sure it was that dire. "While I'm sure we didn't need him taking out the city, I'm also sure he would have returned sufficiently in time. He's rather reasonable, really."

Purrcy smiled. "If I may, I'd like to discuss for a bit how things are going for the guild in the roles they are playing in Akiba right now - specifically as instructors at the Academy and as Personnel Resource Development specialists. If we could hold it as a sort of cottage meeting for about a half-hour or so? I'd like to hear how things are going well, where things could use improvement, and general comments."

Soujirou nodded. "Okay." He wasn't surprised. Shiroe had been the one to request the meeting and had let him know it would be a business meeting of sorts. He moved to the side, but not far away and mostly went back to observing again, allowing the guild to moderate themselves as they answered Purrcy's specific questions. It was a common way for them to communicate in the guild. It allowed the women to air out their complaints as well as support each other with verbal pats on the back.

Purrcy seemed right at home and pleased with the conversation. She seriously listened to the comments and asked informed probing questions until she understood what was being said. She also gave occasional personal anecdotes that made the meeting more homey until everyone was relaxed and comfortable. As Soujirou escorted her out of the guild hall, he shook his head at her. "You're very good. I'd wondered how you'd won Nazuna. Now I've seen it for myself."

Purrcy waved a hand. "It was different at Water Maple, and she was one person. The dynamics are different. But she and everyone here were very forgiving of me. I'm sure that has more to do with it."

Soujirou narrowed his eyes at Purrcy. She looked back at him philosophically. "It's true Soujirou. My real test will be at the Round Table Council meeting. It will be harder to find easy forgiveness there, I think." She raised an eyebrow at him questioningly.

Soujirou considered her. "I think...you will have them also eating out of your hand there."

She looked away. "Maybe...maybe not. Everyone has the right to choose how they will react, what they will do. It's those who choose to be sheep without proper thought that can't complain later."

He suddenly felt convicted. He wasn't sure she'd meant it to be that way, but he did feel it. Had he really been just going with the flow that much, that to be suddenly placed where Shiroe had put him was his own fault? He sighed within himself as he realized it was true. In being "neutral", he'd really been "following" and not "choosing". He suspected he wasn't the only one, too.

He didn't mind where the guild was at the moment, but he would have to be more firm if he really didn't want to be pulled into Shiroe's camp of guilds. Not that he wanted to be obstinate for obstinacy's sake, but he did need to be more proactive in his decisions again. He was still thoughtful as he watched Purrcy and her guards walk off towards her next appointment. The one thought he did have then was that she was the sort that changed everyone and everything she touched.

-:-:-:-:-

Michitaka was waiting with great interest for Purrcy and the Log Horizon contingent to arrive. He wanted to learn as much about what she could do as possible while she was there. She walked right up to him and stuck out her hand for a handshake. He gave her a firm one and was pleasantly surprised when she returned it, firm for firm. She looked boldly into his eyes and he was again struck with the fact she was as tall as he was. Felinoids tended for slender height, but for some reason he kept expecting her to be short.

"Guildmaster Michitaka. Thank you for greeting me this afternoon. I would like a summary tour of your guild and all of its departments, mainly to see what the recent changes have done. If you could come with me and summarize for me? I've a long family history of business. There won't be many words you throw at me I don't know. It will be most difficult for me to stay at the ten-thousand foot level, though, instead of dropping down into the hundred foot level, or even one foot level."

She was candid and knew her own limits and weaknesses. "I can do that," he said calmly, and got them walking. He'd already planned out their route in his mind. He was doing for her what Nakalnad had done for him at Minami when he'd been shown what they had there in their development departments.

"I heard what you did in Minami when you first took over," Purrcy said conversationally as they walked to the first department. "Not many people know that method of getting rid of the cruft in heavy companies. I applaud your actions - and guts."

Michitaka chuckled and threw a glance at her. "You're not planning on repeating it here, I hope?"

Purrcy shrugged with a little smile. "I won't guarantee I won't, but I don't expect to have to." She looked over at him. "I do hope, though, that if I can free a little more desk space for you, that you'll take it?"

He gave a sardonic smile. "I did like having a cleared desk over there."

Purrcy nodded. "It's a deal then." He shook his head. He wasn't sure he'd agreed to any sort of deal yet, but he didn't argue. They arrived at the first department and he started in on his spiel, while she listened closely.

Michitaka watched Purrcy as they walked through the departments and he talked about them. She would occasionally ask for clarification or for a few more details in the processes or the human handling. She gave no suggestions, nor many comments really. It was her body language that gave the most away. Her eyes watched everything they saw with great interest, whether it was the production machinery or the people who were working - and she paid attention to both. Every so often she would ask a supervisor a question, more often if he'd introduced them, but in the main she didn't bother the people hard at work. It wasn't too different from what he would have done if he'd been invited to tour a facility owned by someone else.

When he'd gone into Minami to oversee the department for a time, he'd been deeper into asking questions of the staff, so he could appreciate that she wasn't. It didn't guarantee anything, but her stated purpose was to use what already existed and not to take over everything. So far, she seemed to be holding to that, at least in his house. He wondered how she'd been at the other places so far that morning. That made him wonder why he'd never taken the opportunity to tour everyone else's place. It wouldn't hurt for all of them to understand each other's processes and places. At least then they'd know better how to support each other when they met at the Round Table. Maybe they should have done that before falling into line at the negotiating table. _That_ would surely have gone better if they had. Hindsight was so wonderful. They could still do that moving forward, though. He filed that thought away in his internal "to do" list.

He'd saved the box line for last and was pleased to see her light up just a little more. In that room she did ask more questions, though when they started to go deep Nyanta stepped in and put a restraining hand on her arm and her ears twitched in slight embarrassment. Michitaka secretly smiled. That was an obvious thing for an inventor of a product to do. Their excitement for their item always bled into excited interest in anything having to do with it's production.

"Mister Michitaka, may I say a few words to the line staff?" she asked him politely. Michitaka gave a shrill whistle and everyone on the floor gave them their attention. He watched her as she stepped out from their little grouping enough to become the center of attention. "Everyone. I hope you'll forgive me for interrupting your work. Please allow me to express my gratitude for your hard work." She bowed properly then stepped back into her place.

Michitaka blinked. "That's it?" She looked at him and blinked back in surprise, but didn't say anything. She finally nodded. He shook his head and turned back to the people on the floor. He jerked his thumb at her. "This is Purrcy. She's the one that came up with the nesting box concept. She wanted to come see the production line." Comprehension and smiles bloomed on the faces on the floor. There were scattered calls of, "you're welcome" and Purrcy blushed. That was a first for Michitaka, to see a felinoid do that. Even though it was all in the ears, whiskers, and tail, it was still obviously what it was. He chuckled, then moved them on, letting everyone get back to work.

He took the opportunity to ask his own question as they walked back towards his office. "So, do I get a clue for what's coming down next? So I can be preparing?" He glanced at her to see the effect of his question.

She didn't react, but she did pause to think about her answer. "You understand that as an inventor, I can't know what will work at my level that will reach yours. I'm afraid I can't answer it in a way to help you." She looked at him until he let her know he did understand that's how it worked, but he still wanted a heads up on the potentials. She looked away again. "Well...my most recent wild questions and ideas have been centered around potions, but I don't know if they'll work or when that will trickle down. I'm sure you'll need to focus your next efforts on what's about to come out of Radio Market and Grandale. How do you handle that? Do you wait for something to be handed over before you act in house or do you know what's on the docket over there?"

She was smooth, and it was the sort of transition and question he would have expected following the tour. He answered it calmly. "I've got the list and they give me the updates as they get reports from the crews over there."

"What's your lead time?"

Again a question he would have expected next. "I prefer three weeks, if it's possible. I get my construction team together with their team at about that point to get a feel for the base level process, then we come hash it out over here - how to turn it into full scale production. We're working pretty closely with them the last week and a half to make sure we don't have to rebuild or revamp here much once the line's built. That's expensive, rebuilding the line." Purrcy nodded her understanding of that. "We still have to run a trial once it's up, of course, to make sure it all works once we're handed the final. They come over here then and help us work out the details that we all might have missed, and are quality control until we're all happy."

That won him points. He paused, looking at her. She blinked, then said, "Sorry. I was quality for a short stint." She looked away. After a few more steps she said, "It's helpful to see how the production lines work. I can fit that into my designs from the beginning from this point on."

Michitaka blinked in surprise. "Well, don't sacrifice needs just to accommodate this end."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Well...no. If it's not the right product, it's not the right product, but still...I've always believed that if the whole process is understood by everyone at even the surface level, and everyone kept it in mind, things would flow just a little smoother. Each step has their own processes they try to get to run smoothly, but the overall is also a meta-process that can try to move in a similar fashion." She shrugged. "It's a bit difficult to implement, though, when at the scale of guilds as large as are in Akiba, ...since I'm talking about every individual, not just the guildmasters. It's difficult for the rock at the bottom of the river in Yichang to care what the rock at the bottom of the river at Shanghai will think about the drop of water that passes over the both of them."

"You do," he pointed out.

She smiled at him. "I am the phoenix that cries the tear that enters the Yangtze. An oddity that the rocks may or may not see to even care about. What is the tear among the many rushing waters?"

He looked at her, wondering if she didn't understand. "A treasure," he answered.

She looked away. "You are kind," she said softly.

He blinked and shook his head. "Each thought that becomes a reality that blesses the lives of others is a treasure. Even you should understand that for the many thoughts that can't, or don't, become a reality, the one that does is that."

"Well, that is true," she admitted. "And for each one that does, it is even more a rare treasure to have it become something that can reach the level of your guild and bless the lives of many."

He tipped his head at her. "How many of your ideas have become treasures at home?"

He was a little surprised at the turn of her ears and the flattening of her whiskers. It was a question she didn't like. Flatly she answered, "None. There is no phoenix there. The mouse is buried under the desert sands."

He considered her, then patted her shoulder. "Perhaps it is the egg within the ashes waiting to hatch again." She shuddered and he squeezed her shoulder and let her go, clasping his hands behind his back. When they reached the main area, they bowed politely to each other and she thanked him for the tour and his time, then left with her entourage. He looked after her, reminded yet again that people are still people, even if they are gifted.


	21. What the Guild Protects

Calasin had been wondering what he was going to get. By now, he'd heard the carefully couched complaints from MarketMaker, and been visited by four of the new Log Horizon fighters. At the fashion show both he and Purrcy had been extremely busy and they'd only had time to be professionally pleasant to each other. She'd been just as firm, though perhaps a little softer at the bi-council meeting. The stressful event of two days before was over. He'd seen, or heard, Purrcy be so many different ways now. Perhaps of all of them, it might help him most to know she was so much older. She really did fit the profile of an older woman used to running her own household for many years. One who expected a set pattern out of life and too old to be anything but impatient with anything that stepped out of that pattern. He sighed to himself.

Before he could think too much harder, the door opened and the felinoid herself walked into the storefront. He was waiting for her today with his hands behind his back, his neutrally pleasant salesman's face on, but he couldn't keep the sharp look out of his eyes and wasn't going to. Purrcy met him face to face, her eyes not leaving his from the time she stepped through the door. She stopped in front of him and bowed a quarter-bow. "Calasin. Thank you for allowing me to come today." Proper and polite. Not loud. "Please show me what it is that is done within the walls of your guild. I wish to properly understand it." Business.

He started where he was, though it was perhaps the end - where the product left the building. That was the end goal of all the rest, to get whatever product there was out into the hands of customers - that is, everyone. Purrcy listened carefully and politely to all of his words, then asked questions. It surprised him just a little that she was concerned to the level of even wanting to understand why things were done the way they were, though it was the most important part of understanding sales. Since he had decided to use this as an opportunity to educate, he willingly answered her questions. When her questions took one step too far into the details he paused and Nyanta shifted. Purrcy glanced at Nyanta and retracted her question.

Calasin considered that as he led them into the warehouse. Again, the same thing was repeated. This time her questions probed a little deeper into why he had chosen to organize the warehouse the way he had. He gave an answer to the level they had gotten to before, but not into the details that had been punished before and she was satisfied. From the warehouse they went to the behind-the-scene's work - the staffing that took orders, handled the financials, the ones that planned the shipments and hired the caravans, and all of the other many hundreds of tasks necessary to keep such a business moving forward. Even there she paid close attention and followed along with him, never getting lost, though she did sometimes stop him and ask for clarification.

When he was satisfied with the lesson, he paused. "Do you have any questions before we move on?"

She looked at him mildly. "What is your audit method?"

Calasin blinked. That was rather high level. "The financial department head and I meet with the Cunie once per month to review the books. They've hired a dedicated Person of the Land to specifically keep track of the financials, one for each city we have a presence in. Those records are retrieved here for the meeting and he brings the Akiba representative with him as well."

Purrcy asked, "How will you handle expansion to the levels expected in the future?"

Calasin paused. He had considered it, particularly after having been in Minami for two months. "My plan at the moment is to have sub-department heads for each region who will hold those meetings for their regions and then there will be a general reporting meeting the following day. Because it will add a layer, I also plan on instituting the annual full audit...assuming I can find properly trained persons outside the guild that are trustworthy. I'm not sure what effect distance may have. It may have to be longer than a year, but that allows corruption to creep in more quickly, I'm afraid."

That answer seemed sufficient for her. The next question wasn't financial at all, but was still related to expansion. When he was done answering it she paused. "Calasin, another time I would like to sit with you and hear your full expansion plan, if I may. I think the level I would like to hear, this one, is more detailed than the others will care to hear in a full council meeting. Could we meet in three or four days for several hours?"

He looked at her. "Is there a reason you wish to hear those details?"

She looked back soberly. "Shiroe and I will be leaving for international shores in the near future. If we can understand what we should be looking for on the way, perhaps we can lay the rails for the train appropriately."

Calasin's brow furrowed as he considered it. "Should I be ready to move with you?"

Purrcy paused. "I think...that might come up in the next meeting. That's a question for Shiroe." She shifted and an ear twitched. "I don't know how much detail of your process I need to understand in order to understand how to move. I certainly don't want to replicate effort, nor ever take your position, but I want to be able to help as best I can so that your way is made smoother. In the end Shiroe's goals can't be reached without it."

Calasin looked at her curiously. "Why not?"

"Because he needs to be able to affect the world. It can be done with words, and I'm helping him with that as best I can, but it also must be done to a level with money. The world at the moment is not its own and there are things that must be done that others won't do for free, nor should they. All of the rest of what is being done in Akiba is pointless if your job, and the role of your guild, isn't made simple and helped as much as possible to grow." She paused, then added, "And we aren't fully complete yet. There is still one department unfilled. I am unsure if I should request it be added under you, or if I should request your help to find one more guild that has the skill set we need."

Calasin raised an eyebrow. "It's not really like I want more work," he said.

"No. That's why I would rather you help us find another guild," she agreed. "However, it will be one you'll work closely with." He tipped his head at her. "We need a Transportation guild. If we get the gates working, they will open offices to handle time tables and financials at each gate. Ideally they'll have an office at _every_ gate." She paused to let him catch the significance of that single word. "I would expect regional government oversight so that a militaristic monopoly doesn't form, so political acumen will be as necessary as customer service and minute organizational skills. If we can't get the gates running, then they'll need to handle train transportation, which they'll start with since we already have that functional, as well as ship transport. If the fairy rings can be comprehended, they will also manage those timetables. Of course, they will also handle people movement requests and product movement requests. Those are their 'products' if you will."

Calasin began to run through the guilds he had contact with in his mind. The ones in town were too small, for the most part. "Do they have to be based in Akiba?" he asked.

Purrcy hesitated. "No, but they should plan on putting in an office here, and I think they will eventually find it more convenient to have the home office here, but that's not mine to know. I think all of us would find it easier to sleep at night if it was here and we could see they weren't forming that militaristic monopoly in places we couldn't see it happening." The last was said wryly. He had to admit that much was probably true.

He nodded. "I'll work to come up with a few to propose. Do you want me to feel them out?"

"At least for the general idea, and if they'd be willing to move," she answered.

Calasin looked at Purrcy. She was very much like Shiroe, actually. She had a long view of the world. But they weren't done with the tour of his guild yet. "Shall we go to the last place?"

She looked at him. "Michitaka took me to see the sewing room as part of his production tour."

Calasin nodded. He wouldn't replicate it then. He turned their feet towards the other sewing room. "The final department is the repairs and modifications and returns departments."

She listened just as politely as before. At the end, she said, "It seems to me that because of the way the Adventurer system works, we have very little waste, even if you do get the odd return." He nodded. "What would you do if we were back on Earth and couldn't store perishable things quite so well again?"

Not having had to think about that before, his answer was a little longer in coming. "I think I would request refrigeration first, both for long term transit, and for local storage. And I'm pretty sure food banks and discount sales would appear. ...And waste disposal would become a larger problem."

Purrcy blinked. "What are we doing for waste disposal at the moment?"

Calasin wrinkled his nose. "Sending it to a far part of the city that's undeveloped at the moment and having it buried."

"Aaahh...I don't think having it _inside_ the city is good long-term planning," Purrcy protested. She turned to Tetorō. "Please add it to my notes for things I need to discuss with Shiroe. If there's a person who's over that particular issue, even if it's just a Person of the Land foreman, please schedule time for me to talk to that person and get a quick look at what they're doing. And if Minami has someone that's an Adventurer over it, I'd like to discuss with that person what they're doing." She slumped just slightly. "Being living beings is hard when we get in large groups." She sighed through her nose, then consciously straightened again, stretching her back a bit. "Haahhh. Thank you for your time, Calasin."

Calasin smiled at her slightly and bowed. "Do you really want to concern yourself to that level, Heika?"

She stared at him. "Calasin. Please don't tease. In our modern age we know all kinds of things, even about how to take care of our waste responsibly that the People of the Land here may not know. Though if they do, I want to know it so I can stop worrying about the health risk they present themselves. Shiroe may be the Caretaker of the Adventurers, but he can't do everything. As Caretaker of Yamato I'd like to make sure at least that part doesn't have to be worried about. Illness spreads. I'm constantly scolding the creatures about keeping their houses and warrens and villages clean. The more intelligent ones are finally getting the picture, I think. I suppose the higher mortality rate among the lesser intelligent ones won't make anyone sad."

Calasin shook his head. "No, I would imagine not."

"Of course, even the creatures of Earth know enough to remove the refuse from their homes and bury it away from them, so it isn't like they're completely clueless here," she ran a hand over her head and one ear, flattening it. "If you're done, Calasin, I should go."

He bowed his head. "Thank you for coming," he said, releasing her. She bobbed her head and led her group away.

-:-:-:-:-

"Tetorō, would we have time to visit the shipyard, or perhaps even to rest for a bit again? I need to let my brain settle, I think, and maybe have an afternoon snack." Purrcy asked calmly as they walked out of Shopping District 8's storefront.

"Afternoon," he said faintly. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Purrcy, it's dinner time."

She froze for just an instant. "Oh." She put her hands on either side of her head. "No wonder my brain is so full and my stomach so empty." She stopped and looked at the Guild Hall. "Can we stop by?" Almost everyone sighed at her, but followed after her anyway. She walked up the stairs and inside. She went straight to the bank and the Cunie on duty that evening. "I need a top floor office with access to the Round Table Conference Room. Make it a small office, like that of an Assistant, or an Executive Secretary, please. I won't use it very often. It should access the receiving room to Shiroe's office as well."

The Cunie paused in his reaching for his hall rental book. "Mister Shiroe doesn't have a receiving room for his office. He has rented only a single office."

Purrcy sighed. "Of course he has. Please correct it when you make my office. I've come new to his staff, so the expansion is necessary." She rubbed her head again. "We'll split the cost for the receiving room, the portion of the cost being the equivalent to the size ratio of each office we have. He won't be happy with another expense, but I'll take it up with him later. The only other option would be to connect his guild hall office instead, but he would hate being that bothered."

She stood and waited while the Cunie opened his book and made a few notations, then handed the book over for her to sign. She signed her name for the room and payment amount and he handed her a key. "Thank you," she said. "Let's go take a look while we're here, shall we?" She turned and walked into the Guild Hall and walked them all up to the top floor. She found the door number that matched the number on the key and touched the handle of the door. She stood there for a moment, setting permissions, then released the handle. "Just on the off chance, shall we pretend that this is a new and potentially dangerous room we've never been in before?" She stepped back from the door.

Training raised an eyebrow. "Are we to assume you've just made it dangerous?"

Purrcy raised eye whiskers back at him. "Did you see my collar light up? I'm too tired for tests. This is just a practice exercise. Pop quiz if you like. I don't see how any of them should be different, though."

She got baleful looks, but three of the four guards moved to stand around the door. The fourth one, Charlie, stood at her back between her and the hall. He took her elbow and moved her so she wasn't centered on the door. The center guard on the door, Schedules, opened it and shoved it open so they could see into the room. There were several chairs, a couch, a low table in front of it, and a few other office like items around the front entry receiving room, but no visible persons or creatures. Carefully Schedules entered the room and the ones on the side kept watch on him and the room, particularly the other two closed doors. When he had scanned the entire room, including the corners that couldn't be seen from the door, he motioned and Records entered, passed him and went to the door on the left.

Records put his hand on the handle of the door and pressed but it didn't move. He carefully scanned the door, then moved to the door on the right. That door handle moved. Purrcy sighed. "Nyanta, in Japan, what shows higher precedence, right hand or left hand? In America, it isn't set in stone, but the right side is considered higher rather instinctively."

"It's about the same," Nyanta answered calmly.

"Tetorō, run down and tell him he needs to swap locations of the offices. The left door needs to be mine. If he complains, tell him I insist."

Tetorō looked at her with a look that begged he not be sent all the way back down to only have to come all the way back up again. He was just as tired, after all. Charlie held up a hand and opened up a chat. "Tell the Cunie the Caretaker requires the left hand office door and requests he swap the rooms." They waited until he looked at Records and nodded. Records tried the right hand handle again and it didn't budge. He walked back to the left hand door and it turned. This time he opened it carefully from the side, keeping the least amount of his body in the opening as possible.

They could see inside that room a desk with a chair and other office apportionments. He carefully looked around the room from the door for occupants or traps. Schedules walked closer to cover Records and he walked into the office proper carefully, then looked under the desk and in all the nooks and crannies of the office. When he was satisfied with the physical security, he nodded and carefully backed out of the room, keeping watch on it to make sure nothing showed up on exit. Then he waited there for a full minute to make sure. He motioned to Schedules and that guard walked into the office and over to the other door. As he was about to put his hand on the door handle, Purrcy called to him. He paused, not touching the handle and waited.

"Is it sufficient I can come that far?" she finally asked. They looked at her in surprise, but her ears were twisting in consternation.

"Into the waiting room," she was finally allowed. She stepped through the door, following Tetorō, Charlie following her closely and Nyanta coming in the rear. "Come inside for now," she motioned to Training, still on the main door. He frowned, but stepped in and closed the door, standing in front of it. Purrcy walked closer to the office door, but stayed about two feet away. "You boys know about the spell on Shiroe's office, right?" They nodded. They'd seen it. "He's apparently put one up over the Round Table conference room," she told them. She was looking at it in the code realm, by her expression. "Since this is a new door and office, and I've never been in that room, I can't get past that, at least and hear anything. There's no point until he comes and changes the permissions. You won't hear anything either, and it's empty."

"Only the owner of a door can open it from inside that room," Nyanta informed them. "Though they can let others through it."

"So if this door has suddenly appeared, no one can open it anyway?" Schedules asked. Nyanta nodded. Schedules relaxed slightly, scanned the door, then turned his back to it and stood there. When Purrcy looked at him, he nodded.

Purrcy carefully entered the office, looking around just as cautiously as he had, then more curiously as she explored what she'd been given to work with. "Request a desk and chair for the entry room, basic," she requested. Charlie passed the request on down and about one minute later they appeared in the entry room. "Tetorō that's for you. Move it to where you can hear me easily and I can see you. We should at least be able to look at each other if necessary. Try not to let Shiroe give you work to do just because you're there."

"Will I have lots of work to do?" Tetorō asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Probably not any more than you do now," she answered. "It's really more for appearances at the moment. We may not need the rooms very long at all in the end." She sat down in the chair at her desk, explored all the drawers in the desk, satisfied when she found it was at least stocked with blank paper, pen, and ink. She pulled those out and data dumped, putting all the words and ideas and thoughts pressing against her brain outside of it until it wasn't under such pressure. The only exterior interaction she had for some time was to tell Training to stay inside on the door when he moved to go outside it, and to tell all four of them to make their notes to add to hers. The guards took turns using Tetorō's desk to write down their notes, since there were only three doors to stand on, and he didn't need the desk.

By the time her pen went down, there was a teacup on the desk. She reached for it gratefully and drank it down. "Thank you, Nyanta," she said as she rose from the desk. He walked into the office to retrieve the cup and saucer. She neatly slipped her notes into a drawer of the desk and added the pages from the guards that Records brought to her on top of them. "I'll read those first thing when we get back. If I read them now, everything I just got rid of will come flying back again and I'll collapse for sure. I'm afraid I've always been the kind of person that if it's on paper, I don't have to remember it. I don't do that often, but today it's survival."

"I'm actually amazed you managed to get through all of them today," Tetorō admitted to her as she entered the waiting room.

Purrcy nodded. "I do wish we could have gotten to at least the shipyard as well. Did Michael and Nav make it over there at least?" she asked Charlie.

"Yes, Ma'am," Charlie answered. "They went after lunch."

"Oh. That's where they went," she said absently. "Well, let's head home before I melt into goo. I'm sorry to keep you from your duties, Nyanta. Maybe tomorrow --"

"No. The children can make the meals," he refused before she could finish the suggestion.

She looked at him and the tip of an ear twitched. "Very well. Thank you." She paused, then shook herself out and took a deep breath and let it out. "If the tours and inspection of the remaining guilds will take all day tomorrow, then we may want to postpone the council meeting a day. I think it would be best to go in with an understanding of how the gates are coming along and shipyard is functioning." She was looking into the air above her. "You know, staying hidden isn't very polite."

"Ah, I forgot," Shiroe's image appeared where she was looking. "I was surprised by your location before I got that far."

"No you weren't. Tetorō checked in with you properly," she scolded back. "I'd like to see the Round Table room. Can you change permissions from there?"

He considered it. "No."

"Then come with us tomorrow morning. I need to start from here."

Shiroe didn't commit, only asked, "Are you on your way, then?"

"Yes. Please let this evening's chef know we'll be there shortly." Shiroe nodded and disappeared. Purrcy continued to watch that spot though, then relaxed. She rubbed her head down with her hands, and then her face. Finally she said, "Gahh...too much testosterone. Maybe I'll eat at Crescent Moon tonight. Open the door and see if it's safe to go out, and if we really _can_ get out." She waved helplessly at the door, stepping to the side so she wasn't in a direct line from it, following Charlie's teachings from earlier. Somehow she managed to walk her way home, though she really wanted to ride. She almost fell asleep at the dinner table, and did curl up in her chair there as soon as her plate was clean, little cat snores sounding when they looked for her.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō cast a mirror room on Purrcy, then sighed and looked around the table. "She sat at yellow, or near yellow all day." He shook his head at Shiroe's wide eyes. "Not doing magic. Thinking, planning, organizing, using her brain the normal way." He gave Shiroe a scolding look. "I should think if I stuck one on you it would be worse." Shiroe closed his mouth and looked properly guilty.

"She'll want the same duty roster for tomorrow," Charlie said, sounding a bit tired himself. Tetorō nodded agreement.

"When you get to the shipyard, we'll trade out Schedules and Records for Nav and myself," Michael said. "At the move to the gate, whenever that is, we'll trade again for Maintenance. Putting our eyes on those things is a good idea, so we don't have to make emergency repairs blind, if it should come down to it."

"Permission to drop by Crescent Moon before retiring," Training requested. Michael looked a question over his shoulder at him. "I've been assigned to their planning meetings. I'd like to let them know and make sure I'm on their schedule." He was looking at Reed. Reed looked over to Michael. Michael nodded.

"Permission granted," Reed answered. "Take BlackJack with you."

"Yessir," both answered at once.

"Clocktower, you'll want to get your report to her before she leaves in the morning," Charlie passed on. The person in question nodded, his mouth too full of his dinner to answer politely otherwise.

"Shiroe," Tetorō added, "if you can spare Akatsuki, we might want to add her to the roster tomorrow." Akatsuki looked up in surprise. "If not, then maybe Isuzu or Minori."

"Why?" Shiroe asked in surprise.

"She needs another female around. It was her one complaint today - too many men."

Isuzu raised a hand. "I'll do it."

Michael pursed his lips and looked at her. "Keep it light, then. She's already feeling reined in pretty tightly. It won't help if her female companion's just another jailer."

Naotsugu sighed. "She needs a few hours on the couch, just being pet, doesn't she?"

Everyone who'd seen her work that day nodded. Naotsugu gestured at Nyanta. "Hand her over." Nyanta's ear flicked, but he picked the small cat up and handed her to Naotsugu. Naotsugu draped her over his shoulder and pet her in long slow strokes with one hand while he ate with the other. "How much longer do you think it's going to go, Councilor?" he asked around the bites of food he was shoveling in.

Shiroe sat back, stretching his long legs out in front of him, one ankle on the other. He was already done eating, himself. Naotsugu and the bigger eaters were given double portions at dinner. They'd be done soon. "After the meeting, for sure. Anyone know where she's planning on going when it's done?"

No answers were forthcoming. Nyanta finally said, "Purrobably to recover." Tetorō considered the answer and nodded, but also shrugged as he slurped up the last of his dinner.

Shiroe considered a little longer, then said, "I guess I don't know. I would think it would let up a little after that, but I wouldn't be surprised if it continues until we're on the road."

Naotsugu shook his head. "She'll have to be trained to keep a saner daily schedule then, in addition to the internal work. She did this last time. Work without breaks and pushed meals when she could. Not healthy for anybody." He gave a slightly scolding look at Tetorō and Nyanta to either side of him, sitting up to relax now his meal was done. They silently acknowledged his scold. They'd not prevented it last time either, letting her run her own schedule until Naotsugu had corrected her.

"Well, it is a little different this time," Tetorō said. "We don't know exactly how long each thing is going to take, though we've tried to fit in the right time for the size. It is ambitious, though, I'll agree. Pushing it out one more day would help that," he looked at Shiroe.

Shiroe nodded. "I'll let everyone know."

It was quiet from her side. The rest filled in with their reports regarding the final clean up of the city, including the changeover of spies, and getting the newest students of the Academy from Minami set up in the dormitory level of the warehouse that was the school building. When the reports were done, Nyanta shifted. Shiroe looked at him. Nyanta looked down the table. "Michael-nyan needs more information before the meeting, Shiroe-ichi," he said.

Shiroe looked down at Michael, opposite him at the table. Michael's eyebrows had raised and he was looking rather clueless. Shiroe looked at Nyanta who folded his arms and looked at him. "Alright. My office?" he rose. Nyanta stood up with him and Michael did as well. They sent their dishes to the kitchen then retired to the office.

As soon as they were inside, Nyanta said, "Lock her out."

Shiroe set the permissions on his door, mystified. "Okay."

"So she can't listen in." Nyanta insisted.

"Okay," Shiroe set the permission on the clean room spell.

Nyanta looked at Michael. Michael shook his head. "Tetorō put her in a clean room before the meeting even started. She won't hear it from inside either."

"And the history?" Nyanta asked.

Michael blinked and was gone for about fifteen seconds. "Okay. I've blocked it on all three of us."

"All three of us?"

Michael nodded. "She's got them on us and on Tetorō. She doesn't access them often. More often it's just the one on herself."

Nyanta's tail twitched. Shiroe sat down on the couch and waited. Michael took one of the chairs and looked between the two of them. "Michael-nyan needs to hear meowr working premise, Shiroe-ichi. Tetorō-kun and I both agree. He hasn't stepped over any boundaries yet, but he's going to soon, otherwise." Shiroe's brow creased as he looked at Michael. "It's because he's still new, meow."

Shiroe nodded. That made sense. He hadn't been around long enough to pick up on the clues like the rest of them had. Shiroe turned to Michael. "Just like Purrcy wasn't Purrcy most of the time she, and you, were here last time, Purrcy isn't Purrcy most of the time here this time. You remember the meeting under the tree?" Michael nodded. "That wasn't her. That was the World AI, entered into its oracle. Likely most of today wasn't her either. Or to be specific, in form and expression it was, but in direction and action it wasn't. The World AI holds her Summon whistle and she works according to its requirements." He glanced at Nyanta, whose tail was swishing from side to side in agitation. A little reluctantly he said, "Likely, the only time we've actually seen Purrcy herself was when she arrived and greeted us in the street, and then again at the wedding and celebration after." He looked at Nyanta. "How long did the AI leave you two alone?"

"It was back by meowrning," he almost growled it.

Shiroe sighed. "I'm sorry Nyanta, but honestly I didn't expect otherwise. It's not like an emotionless entity would understand, or care."

"Wait," Michael interrupted, almost angrily. "You mean she isn't there at all?"

"No, she is there, but her choices still aren't her own yet," Shiroe tried to clarify. "It's her knowledge base, her comprehension of the world and her memories. She puts it into the words she has, but the driving force behind it all is the World AI, and it makes sure things are happening the way it wants them to."

Nyanta started pacing to get his flicking ears to calm down a bit. Michael looked like his meal had suddenly decided to disagree with him. His eyes were tracing thoughts in his mind. Shiroe let him come to an understanding. "The contract you have with her...it's a contract with the World AI?"

Shiroe paused. Carefully he said. "I have two contracts, only one's been assigned to Nyanta now, though the whole guild will still keep to it." Michael tipped his head to the side, waiting for further information. Shiroe swallowed and said very carefully, "The one I still hold is the one with the World AI. As long as we are working for the same goals, I will help to solve the problems it can't on it's own. They're the problems I was already working to solve anyway. The second one is a contract with Purrcy herself. That's the one Nyanta holds now, signed at the wedding ceremony. It's our promise to her as a guild to protect her and free her from the World AI."

Michael stared at them both. "In exchange for what?" he asked suspiciously. Shiroe sighed to himself. Michael did already know her well enough to understand that much. He turned and looked at Nyanta.

Nyanta pulled up, his ears going back. He took a breath, then faced Michael. "She told mew. She gave herself to the guild. She also purromised me she would stay with me. I'm not going home. The wedding was the formalization of that purromise. She is technically mine after that signing, rather than the guild's, as long as we work to free her from being owned by the World AI."

Michael was looking dark. Shiroe interjected. "The agreement with the World AI is that if we solve it's problems, it releases Purrcy to us and returns her to being a proper Adventurer again."

Michael's lips pressed into a thin line. "I can see wanting to do that, but," he looked at Nyanta, "did she really agree to stay, or is that just what you want?"

Nyanta shook his head. "When we first spoke, and she told me what she was, it was her wish to stay also. It was her suggestion first. I was paralyzed before then, not wanting to stay here alone, not wanting to go home. When she is free again, we will see if she has changed her mind."

Michael narrowed his eyes at Nyanta. "Are the two of you _really_ married?"

Nyanta scowled and started pacing again, his tail still in motion. "For all intents and purrposes, I'm more married to the World AI than to Purrcy right now. I'm able to influence her somewhat because of the contract, which is like a contract with a Summon creature, but the whistle holder always trumps. It is irritating."

Michael nodded. "That's how you got Nureha over here and out of Minami."

Shiroe nodded. "Purrcy gave me Nureha's whistle. Her agreement with Purrcy was that Purrcy would hold her whistle and protect her until she could be set free - both of Indicus and of her fear of returning to Earth."

"And since Purrcy was inside her, she had to go wherever Nureha went."

"It wasn't out of line with the will of the World AI," Shiroe said quietly, almost deadly.

Michael sat up a little straighter. "You both hate the World AI." Both of them gave brief flashes of agreement. "You said at the bi-council meeting...that she hated nothing more than to be controlled, and she would also fight against it...," he looked at them and his lips pursed again for a different reason now. "She's still fighting against it. That's why you wanted this meeting private from her. She's doing the same thing she did in Minami still, only against the World AI."

"Technically it's in concert with the World AI," Shiroe clarified. "If we do what it wants it lets her go after all."

Michael ground his teeth in anger and frustration. "In America we call that terrorism." Nyanta's tail lashed again. Shiroe held himself very still, concentrating on not letting his hand ball into a fist. "But even still, it's against the World AI, just like it was in concert with Indicus but for all that it was against her." He got to thinking fast again until he finally sighed. "So, that's why. ...She really is afraid. It's making her be far more outgoing and in the center of things than she's comfortable with personally. It comes out in the excuse she's a solo, but it's also at the core of what _Purrcy_ really is." Shiroe nodded sadly and one of Nyanta's ears went down.

"And...that's why everyone's got a soft spot for her even though she's typically a hard nosed bitch no one wants around." Michael sighed. "Yeah, I get that. I've seen that, too. When she was down with the boys in the Special's section, she was their best friend and mother. ...And that's what you mean when you call her Hahaue. You're calling to Purrcy herself then." Shiroe looked away, the tears wanting to well up again. This time he couldn't keep the fist from clenching as he refused to let them out.

Michael was silent for a while, then said, "The boys need to know. We can't bring them all in here, obviously. Hahaue's already told me they need to figure it out without being told directly, but I've got an escape rope that I can give them data to help them along." Shiroe looked at Michael. He was rubbing his jaw. "I think I've set aside a few clues that were actually pertinent. Will you tell me what she got her titles for, if you know? That's the info I told them I'd get for them. If I can pass on anything within those answers that would help them get it, that would be the way to go."

Shiroe leaned forward, putting his forearms on his knees and clasping his hands. "She's Caretaker because she chose to become summonable for the sake of the creatures of Yamato, and was already taking care of them anyway. She became Justice of the East when she changed the Plague Master into a Person of the Land. He's no longer an Adventurer, though she says she can change him back again if he repents and we're going home...and if he lives long enough." He glanced at Michael from the corner of his eye. It had been another bomb shell, of course. That was rather difficult to accept as an Adventurer.

"I'd rather you didn't tell them that. I expect in the end her capacity to do that will be curtailed in some way or other. The World AI won't be happy at all if other Hackers get to high enough levels to do that. It wants us here as Adventurers, after all, or it wouldn't have brought us here in the first place." Michael nodded dumbly, blinking. "As to the Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami...she supposedly got that when she erased a spirit that was possessing an Adventurer. I suspect it was like Nyanta's title. It was part of her already, but not listed until that time. It goes along with her Oracle tag."

"What is Inari-no-Izanami?" Michael asked.

Nyanta took it up. "Izanami is the female goddess that created life on the Earth, in oldest Shinto belief. The mother goddess of Japan. The male god that is her husband is Izanagi. Together they created life on the planet, though she was caught in hell and had to remain there and from that time they were separated. Not a pleasant part of the story from my point of view, given I now have a hidden title that might just be the other one related to this lore." The comment was dry.

"Inari is another god, who is neither, or both, male and female. Inari is often thought to be a collective of other gods. The name given here implies Inari is the collective of the father-god Izanagi, the mother-goddess Izanami, and purrhaps others as well, though we might not know in our time here which ones. In the Shinto tradition it's the role of the purriests and purriestesses to pacify the gods so that they don't destroy the world or the living residents of it. In effect, her title 'Purriestess of Inari-no-Izanami' then means that she is the oracle and pacifier of the creator goddess Inari - or, the World AI."

"Well, hell. I had it all backwards then, and there's no way they'll figure that out on their own without me explaining that. But if I do, that's about all I need to get them pointed in the right direction. They'll sniff out the rest from there." Michael collapsed against the back of his seat, mulling it over. "Does the rest of the guild get it, really?" he asked.

"Enough," Shiroe answered. "Rudy's out of the loop, except that he understands that we are still fighting for the Purrcy that is buried, since he doesn't have the same lore and mythology we do, the same as you."

Michael frowned at Shiroe. "Why did you push her into the full limelight, when you know she hates it?"

"Because I want to know when I'm facing the World AI and when I'm facing Purrcy, and," he was quick to include more when that wasn't enough for Michael, "because I need her to be where the World AI can use her most effectively to get done what it wants to get done as fast as possible, within reasonable human limitations. She's got enough self-will, and fortitude, that she'll still say no if she hates it."

Michael nodded. "Yeah, I saw that, too. She'll take high levels of punishment without blinking if she wants to say no badly enough, and laugh at the bastard at the same time."

"Even still," Nyanta said softly, "she can't say no to the World AI. PurroudWing said it. If the whistle is blown, for the time limit assigned to the whistle a Summon can't do anything but what is expected of it. If the World AI tells her to kill after its blown the whistle, she will kill, even if she cries the whole time."

"And because the World AI only cares about it's own agenda, it will do as it pleases without caring. There is no emotion, only reaching the goal." Shiroe said soberly.

Michael's fist clenched. "So you walk carefully so that you don't make her have to be called." The pain they felt was in his voice. Shiroe looked down at his hands and nodded. Michael blew out a breath and looked away. He put his chin in his hand, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair. They sat quietly for a while.

Finally Michael stood with a sigh. "Right then. I'll give the boys the clues they need to leapfrog forward. It may still take a few days for them to get it all the way, but they're bright lads." He walked for the door. "For what it's worth, I'm on board, though I was before you lot were." He looked at them. "She showed up there first, after all. I've been watching her fight a long time already, and helping her as much as I could. It's why we're here. American's don't cave or pander to terrorists."

Shiroe sat back up. "I know," he said. He was grateful to have their support. The door closed behind Michael and he looked at Nyanta. "How are you holding up, Chief?" he asked. Nyanta didn't look so good, actually.

"I'm angry, of course," Nyanta answered. "The worst is that the World AI keeps wanting to make assumptions that are incorrect. I'm having to convince it constantly it's wrong. It doesn't like that."

"Have you openly sat her down and told her you're training her now that she's married to someone of a different culture?"

Nyanta sighed. "I did, the next day. I still have to remind it. Purrcy herself is willing to let it be taught. She already understands. Only her patience gets me through some of the times."

Shiroe looked at him soberly. "Nyanta...do you think some day you might actually be able to come to love Purrcy?"

Nyanta looked at him for a moment, then looked away. "Purrhaps. We will be here a very long time. Such a thing might be possible."

Shiroe stood. "Well, then 'perhaps' for your sake, I will hope it will happen. It isn't good to be alone inside when there are others outside you wishing for your happiness." He walked to the door and let Akatsuki in, changing the permissions on the secure room protections.

Nyanta bowed to the both of them on his way out the door and Shiroe closed it behind him. He walked to the couch and sat quietly while Akatsuki poured the evening tea. When she tucked herself in next to him, he put his arm around her and held her close. He couldn't prevent himself from kissing her more than the normal number of times and holding her hand in his free hand.

She finally pulled his head down in her lap, closed his eyes for him, and ran her fingers over his forehead until he relaxed. It was the third night in a row. And, for the third night in a row, when he finally relaxed enough, tears slowly leaked out of the corners of his eyes.


	22. Sub-Guild's Call of Duty

"But Naotsugu, even if you say you're an open panties pervert, in your heart we all know you're a closet boobies pervert. I mean, you've got the best game in town in your hand. You've _gotta_ be content, man." Compliance pushed hard for his point of view. The others in the grouping who agreed with him nodded.

Naotsugu waved a hand, blushing a little. "No, no. Marie's actually small, inside and at home. She went with that look because she wanted to look like what she thought other players wanted to see. She tries too hard, see, and it backfired on her like all the rest of us who weren't expecting the catastrophe. It's panties all the way." He leaned forward to make another point and it died as Nyanta loomed over him.

"My wife?" he was asked in a quiet voice they were learning was rather deadly. Nyanta seemed to go to silent death rather than explosive.

"Minori's got her, Chief. She thought maybe a bit of female pheromones for a bit, until you were ready for her, would be helpful. They're all up in her room." Naotsugu glanced at Tetorō.

"She's still sleeping," Tetorō confirmed. "I'll let her out whenever you want."

"When we're in my room is fine," Nyanta had calmed at the explanation. He started for the stairs.

Compliance leaned back and looked at him. "Would you be willing to cast your vote, Mister Nyanta? Panties or boobies? We're feeling kinda sorry for you over here if you're on our side. Almost all the other half-beast women at least kept theirs since it's only human."

Nyanta's ear flicked slightly as he paused. There was a bit of tension as some were afraid he'd just been offended. He looked over at them. "It's true Purrcy went fully cat, meow." They looked at him with interest.

"Well...there isn't anything to hold onto, not even a small mouthful, but is there anything that makes it worth it?" Compliance asked, curious.

Nyanta's whiskers twitched up on one side. "Four pairs."

There were silent blinks around and Compliance's eyes slowly widened. "Four... _pair_? As in... _eight_?" Nyanta's look was extremely smug. "Aha! You're a closet boobies perv!" Compliance crowed, happy to have another comrade on his side of the debate. "And you hit jackpot. That's more than a boy's got parts to enjoy." He was blinking in excitement, trying to get his brain wrapped around it. He finally shook his head. "But, I couldn't settle. I like to have something to hold. Within the boobies group there's the tit subgroup. I'm not that," he sighed, "but still... _eight_." He had to shake it off.

"Mister Nyanta, if I can ask a different question?" H/R asked. He was the quiet, intellectual type who sat at the fringe of this kind of discussion. Nyanta nodded. "How did the system come up with what to do with a natural cat-half when there aren't cats on Theldesia?"

Nyanta turned to face H/R. "There are cats, just not house cats. Sphinx, manticore, tigris, the white, blue, and ennedi tigers, chimera, several magical panthers, etc. In Japan we have the nekomata and bakeneko. The nekomata is based on the housecat, but since it's _Elder_ _Tales_ , what came over are the magical creatures, not the standard housecat. And of course Purrcy is the only werecat since she made it up."

It seemed H/R had hit on one of Nyanta's pet topics. "That's a long list. But are they the same? I mean, it's hard to tell sometimes what the system's going to do in the crossover."

Tetorō nodded his head. "She's mentioned, and I agree, that it seems like it brought over stuff from Wiki, if it didn't know what to do. You know, there's a lot there to discover if you don't know."

Nyanta's ears went down in distaste. "I believe it has taken its knowledge from all over the internet. I would have purreferred otherwise."

"What, you're really a handles man?" Compliance asked, his eyes lit again.

Nyanta looked at him just a little coolly. "Human anatomy is plastered all over the internet, but not on _Elder Tales_ where it's hidden." The others nodded. "So is cat anatomy." They nodded again. Nyanta turned for the stairs.

"Well, doesn't that mean you're the most compatible, then?" he was asked.

Nyanta froze with a bit of a twitch, one foot on the bottom step. He looked over his shoulder and said, without emotion at all, "It's a generally unknown fact that the penile tip of the species _felinus_ is covered in claw-like barbs. When erect, they emerge and act as fish hooks. The female cannot escape receiving painful damage." He blinked and walked up the stairs, leaving behind silence.

"I don't see any upsides for the female of the species," finally wafted into the room.

"I think I understand why he's strenuously refrained," Tetorō said faintly. He got no disagreement.

Michael had a much deeper appreciation for Nyanta's hatred of the World AI, now that he knew what he'd learned that evening. It went to a lot of levels, not just another Adventurer being used against her will that needed rescuing. "And on that note, boys, I've got info to pass on. Shall we?"

-:-:-:-:-

Michael himself put up a sound-proof, visual-proof box around their meeting this night and closed down any lines and histories he found, rerouting them to replay old history. When he returned, one of his Clerics cast a healing spell on him and he nodded his thanks. He couldn't make it as secure as the one on Shiroe's room, so he'd still have to be careful he didn't let the important bits leak, but the sooner they could figure it out the better. He'd sat to cast the spells, but now he stood. The rest of them went to formal alert as he went into lecturing senior officer mode.

"Some of my intel is top secret and I can't pass it on. If you think you figure it out to that level, keep your mouth shut. They do want you to figure it out generally, though. It's important and we're slow on the uptake." His lips pressed together tightly in his anger and distaste again. "We're dealing with terrorism." That got the rest of them dark. "And we have to pretend like we don't mind." That got scowls. He grimly nodded his agreement.

"I asked for what the titles meant, what they were for, like I said I would. Here's what I can tell you. Caretaker - she takes care of the creatures of Yamato. You know that. The rest of the guild knows this next bit, but you don't yet, not really. In order to take care of them better, in her mind, early on she created a calling card that would let creatures who needed her frequently call her for help. It turned out in the end the World AI, Superuser as she calls it, slipped in it's own special sauce through a hole she left open. It made her a summonable creature, or the world's first summonable Adventurer." He held up one finger. It was their code, to let them know that was the first piece of "VII" - Very Important Information. "You'll remember that was used against her in Minami, though to your benefit, and against Akiba. She fought against it anyway and took down her enemy." He held up two fingers. That was enough for the bright ones to catch on that they weren't done with that vein of threat.

He clasped his hands behind his back. "Justice of the East - she passed judgment on the Plague Master that was sent to take Akiba down. World-level stuff that nobody else is going to get to do." He shifted one step left, looking at the pilots on that side to see if they were paying attention still. Then he turned and paced to his right three steps, paused and looked at them again, putting his hands in his pockets. He sighed. "Japanese lore lesson time. No way to understand Priestess of Inari-no-Izanami without it."

He summed up what he'd been told about the Shinto beliefs: "Inari is a poly-god." He held up four fingers in front of his chest, then curled them back in. "In Theldesia, two of its faces are Izanagi - the male half of creation," he briefly uncurled four fingers, "- and Izanami - the female half of creation," he held up four fingers briefly again. "The Shinto priests and priestesses," he put one finger on his chest, "don't help the people worship their gods, they appease -" he flicked his one finger to two, "- the gods to prevent destruction." The word "appease" got dark scowls again. That was good. They were getting the connection there he wanted.

"You'll remember I said for the guild she's rather cold and heartless, with a definite purpose for them," he let slip four fingers, "and that it's a different contract." He pulled in three so only one was left, went to two, then put all five out. After a pause, he clasped both hands behind his back again, looking at them silently. When they'd had the time to process that, he said quietly, "I also said our contract was different. It is and it isn't. Once you understand, we'll be on board fully, since it's the same contract we already agreed to. The one to be the security blanket." He let them have the floor with a nod that he was done.

Bowie, the burly Intelligence detail Survival pilot ran all five fingers through his hair and said, "Appease the gods to prevent destruction, eh?" with a sigh. Michael nodded, keeping his hands behind his back. "Is Mister Shiroe okay with that?"

"What else can he do?" another answered, holding up two fingers to his cheek as he rested his chin on his hand.

Michael tipped his head. "Not much else. It's already been given, and not by him or any of us." Flashes of glances went around the group.

There was a shifting and everyone's attention went to the second member of the Intelligence detail, Stiletto. "I've done some digging myself, since it was an assignment." The wiry dark pilot paused and shifted again. "The assignment was to see what happened before the Commander got here." He clicked his tongue and ran his tongue over his lips nervously. "It's more than I want to say, really, but I asked Commander Rieze about it. She had interesting things to say. Miss Purrcy made Nyanta-san into the untouchable knight so he could fight the Plague Master hacker without getting flacked. Rieze has no idea how and she suspects it's still on, not a one shot like was told to the guildmasters later."

"They also got the package in the end as their reward. She said it was the oddest package they'd ever gotten from Log Horizon. ...Mouth would move to talk, but no sound," he pointed to the air around them and several nodded understanding, "and trussed up as if tied but no ropes. We know what that is and it's Tetorō's signature. She was hesitant to go further in time, but in the end I was able to weasel out of her that they'd finally dumped him out-city with a farmer with a warning to 'take it easy and grow up fast'." He looked over to Michael. "I've been wondering since then how Rudy came to be in this guild."

Michael took a firm stance and put his hands behind his back and didn't answer. He blinked three times. Stiletto raised four fingers and an eyebrow. Michael nodded. He really should have given a shrug since he wasn't positive, but he'd been ordered to keep them off that thread and that was a good enough answer given Shiroe's supposition the World AI wouldn't let anyone else do it anyway. Stiletto would keep silent about what he'd seen and heard any deeper than what he'd said since it had been marked top secret. Letting him think it was the World AI who'd done it would keep him happy. And it might be true. Michael was starting to think it was definitely time for Purrcy to take him and Tetorō out for their little chat.

Gareth raised a hand. They gave him their attention. "You know I'm not happy," he started with. "She called me Navigation all day, and hasn't said my name practically since we were on top of the department store in Minami. The last time she purred for me was when she got back, and that was pretty brief since she was greeting everyone. It's like she doesn't remember, or she isn't herself." He rubbed an eye with two fingers. "So I went back and did what the Commander said, and reviewed that first time we got to see her in the flesh. Watching her greet everyone when they came down the morning of the wedding made me think of it, too." He was watching Michael and Michael nodded, folding his arms.

Gareth looked down. "Since we'd been talking about how she seemed afraid for some reason, I couldn't help but pick out of her comments from that first walk back that she liked the center because she was at heart a coward." His clasped hands twisted together and one thumb rubbed the other. "That's always been the hardest one to believe, but it's the only one that answers 'why'. She grew up here a solo wild outdoor cat, but now she has to be an indoor cat in the big city." He looked back up. "She can't run, they won't let her." One finger, then a total of four slipped out of his clasped hands. "So she compensates by needing the security blanket." He pursed his lips. "But there's still one thing I don't quite understand, even though I heard it. We were talking about how jumpy they were. Commander you said it - that it's as if they have even one slip-up they'll cease to exist and that wasn't healthy. It isn't healthy. Why are they that way?" His hands parted and one fell open handed, the other stayed fisted.

Michael considered it. Gareth had gotten the main 'why' right. What was the right way to answer this 'why'? He lifted up one finger from where it was resting on his arm. "She can't run." He held up two fingers. "You miss her." He held up three fingers, then put his forefinger to his mouth as if in thought. He put four fingers there and said. "It isn't healthy to feel like you're going to cease to exist." He added his thumb. "They won't let her run." He dropped it back down to two. "She wouldn't anyway. That's not how she flies."

That got everyone's attention. They all looked like the hounds on the scent now. "So, their contract's two way, no matter how you look at it, then," Gareth said. "They'll stay jumpy and she'll keep doing what they want, just to get the protection she's been promised." His hands came up to his chin, one still a fist with the palm of the open hand spinning on it. When they reached his chin, the open hand went around his fist, but he left two fingers out.

"Yup." Michael said.

"And our contract's protection, too," Chaplain Brenner said quietly, holding out two fingers, his arm slung over the back of his chair.

"Yup."

"And there's a terrorist in the house, is why," Bowie said, giving four fingers.

"Yup."

BlackJack leaned forward and an open hand came out. "And getting rid of the terrorist is the next operation."

Michael paused. "You've said it, not me." The entire group settled into battle ready.

"Sounds to me like there's good reason to be jumpy, then," Stiletto said casually. The others looked at him and he scratched his cheek three times.

"Most likely," Michael said casually back. He put his hand to his chin and tapped his lips once with his forefinger, then winked at Stiletto.

Stiletto frowned, then looked around the group. "Avionics, fill us in on the details."

Avionics sat back and stretched his feet out in front of him, folding his arms. "I cast the proper spells and call for a type of monster. When one appears, I can battle it until it wins and flees or until I win and it has to agree to the contract." He held up one finger briefly, starting his own count. "The terms of the contract vary, but the sum is that it has to do what I say for a time, but it can fight back at a cost every time until it wins free and flees."

"The type that everyone can use is the whistle Summon you can buy at the shop." He held up two fingers. "You blow on the whistle and for four hours, or a set amount of time, you get to use that creature. Tetorō said after we all got back together they've learned recently that the more intelligent Summon creatures can actually talk to us if we want them to. We just have to want them to. If we make them do things they hate during their time, they hate us. If we're respectful, they're the same back, mostly, at least for whistle Summon. If a contracted really didn't want to be contracted they'll still hate you." Avionics looked at Michael. "It matters who the contracting party is." He held up five fingers. "Guildmaster." Michael blinked and looked at Stiletto, then back at Avionics. Avionics held up two fingers. "Sub-guildmaster." Michael shook his head.

Before they had to walk the entire list, he said, "You just saw it the other day. The last time your mama came to visit."

That took a bit, until Gareth leaned back and said casually, "That was some bright light to have in the middle of all that pomp and circumstance." Faces cleared instantly.

Brenner's jaw dropped. "It was _business_?"

"Yup, though I'm sure it was more than that, too," Michael answered. "She's a complicated lady."

Clocktower snorted a laugh. "No doubt, liking to do three things at once when she could do less and save effort." He sobered up almost instantly at that thought. "Is that why Tetorō collared her?"

"Yup."

"It's why she walked twenty miles with a fifty pound sack on her back in the sand today, too," Charlie said sadly.

"Yup." Eyes were going hard.

"Nyanta-san's hot."

"Yup."

"Naotsugu, too."

"Yup."

"Mister Shiroe...he's a desperado basket case underneath."

"Yup."

"Sir," Avionics said, worry coloring his voice, "is she a double? I don't know how they're created." He was holding up two fingers. Michael looked at him very soberly. He still had his one finger to his mouth. He tapped it, then also raised two fingers from the other hand where it was at his elbow from when he'd crossed his arms. A chill went through the group. "Who?" Avionics choked out.

The two fingers went to four and all eyes turned slowly to Stiletto. He was as white as a black ghost could be and beads of sweat were beginning to form on his face. His eyes were locked on the four fingers Michael was holding up. Michael lowered them and kept his eyes on Stiletto and his look kind as Stiletto's eyes moved up to seek comfort there. "Remember," Michael said. His one finger on his lips went to two. "The love of a mother never ends. But now you know why they're jumpy."

After a few swallows to find his voice, Stiletto said, "And why we don't mind there's a terrorist in the house."

Michael's anger sparked and he unfolded his arms and held up a hand, palm out, then turned it in and closed it to two fingers, the back of his hand facing out. "Play it out. They need us and we'll get to do our job properly." He smiled a wolf's smile. "There's two master strategists in the house, after all, heads down pulling for all their worth." Slowly the members of his squadron calmed down and settled with God and themselves.

It had been a while since they'd had to face death head on, but it wasn't new to them. Military men had to do it every time they were sent on a new mission, and it didn't get any better, but you learned to do it silently and with resolve. For himself, he was looking forward to finally getting to move on his final goal in this place they'd been dragged to. It might still take some time, but they were on that path. The fastest way to win was to move slowly. They'd protect the big gun until it was in place, and keep it safe until it was able to fire full barrels at the enemy. That would be a sweet day. It was obvious now what his role was: keep the ice from melting long enough for them to win.

"Sir," it was Reed, "do we have orders to pass down?"

Michael looked at his XO. "I think they can figure it out for themselves at this point. Just hold to the contract for now. Nothing explicit's come down yet. The hidden one's have come direct to the one's I've been listening in on, same's happens in the dungeons with the battlefield monitor. I'd only add Stiletto as direct POC with Shiroe. They can work under the umbrella where all of us at once can't. It might not hurt for you to have regular check-ins with him as well, just in case." Michael folded his arms again. "He could use the back-up. Just make sure you both go in clean when you go visiting." They both nodded. They'd watched him set up, and he'd learned it all under tighter restrictions. And they didn't need to let the terrorist know more than it needed to know. That was a given.

Michael looked around at his men. He was proud of them. He'd given them lots of help, and they'd understood quick. It was his job to let them know everything they needed to know to perform their duty to the best of their ability, and it felt good that he finally could. To see the determined looks on their faces meant they were ready to do their own work now, and that felt even better. None of them did well at loose ends for very long. "Any more questions, ladies?" he asked.

"Are we gonna live having you take the wall down?"

"I have no idea," he admitted, shaking his head. "I did my best. Are we ready to see?"

"Sure." "What the hell?" "May as well."

He smiled and took down the protections he'd set up at the beginning. "Good luck everyone," he said. "And have a lot of fun." They laughed at him, relieved they weren't black dust floating on the breeze. They'd all walk softly for a day or two and take care in what they said - and probably thought, too - but perhaps they'd survive long enough to get revenge.

It wouldn't be a bad exchange for having to follow the spoiled princess and Queen, especially now that they knew the other reward was to get their Den Mother back. They hadn't gotten to go on the last campaign for that, but this time they were the front line, and that was alright in their book.

-:-:-:-:-

Touya was up out of bed as soon as he was awake and he didn't dally in his bath. There was something he needed to confirm this morning, and he faced the day with determination. He was so focused on it, his lips were set and his brow furrowed. He barely paid attention on the way down to the bath, and only just enough on the way up to confirm people on the first floor were moving, beginning to get their day going. He dropped his bathing supplies off in his room and finished getting dressed, then poked his head into Minori's room. "I'm heading down. Are you ready?"

She turned swiftly in surprise. "Touya? ...Ah, just about." She hastily ran her brush through her hair three more times, then dropped it on her bed as she grabbed up a sweater. She pulled her door closed and pulled the sweater on as they walked. She had to trot to keep up with Touya's fast pace. "What's up, Touya? It's not like you to come get me first." She bit her lip.

He glanced at his twin sister. "I've got to know if she's still here. If breakfast is still family time." He slowed down, his expression going worried this time. "I don't think I could take another repeat of last time - with all the fighting. I hope that part's gone." Minori's worried face agreed with him. So did her clasped hands in front of her chest. They walked down the stairs a little slower and they spoke softer to each other. "But...they're so busy now...mornings might be gone too." The look they shared said that wouldn't be any good either.

He was particularly worried about Minori. He knew she had been looking forward to this time, hoping it would be finally the time they could really be family. They reached the bottom of the stairs and he put his hand on her shoulder. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He really wasn't sure what words he wanted to say. He gripped her a little tighter, then said, "I'll still be here, regardless."

Minori's expression went from worried to a smile and she put her hand on his where it rested on her shoulder. "I know, Touya. We've got each other. And we've got Mister Shiroe and the rest of Log Horizon, too. If it's bad, we can sit with Naotsugu after breakfast and go get spoiled by Miss Marielle." She briefly tightened her grip on his hand then let go.

He paused, looking at her, then nodded and let her go. "It's a date."

Minori took a breath. "I just hope we don't have to go on that one."

Touya gave a wry half-grin. "Yeah. Me too." He took his own pre-battle deep breath and straightened up and started the march to the kitchen.

They were early enough that Nyanta and Purrcy were just pulling out the first tools of breakfast making. They also got raised eyebrow whiskers from both of them for it. Minori perked up with forced cheer. "We're glad to see you. That means we can just be assistants today." She gave the adult felinoids a big smile.

The older two relaxed and smiled back. "We'll be glad to take over today, if that's okay with the regular chefs, meow," Nyanta winked at them.

"Well, you'd have to ask them, since that's you, of course," Touya said with testing casualness and a shrug, putting a small smile on his face.

"I'd love to have help," Purrcy said in a quiet voice, a kind smile on her face. "I think we've gotten too big for just one Assistant Chef."

Touya perked up at that and moved farther into the kitchen to pass by them as was his normal habit, Minori coming behind. "I think we can do that," he agreed. Nyanta had already turned to his first task, as was his habit. He always let Purrcy do the talking once he'd welcomed them. He preferred to work and listen. As long as he was relaxed and his ears interested and listening, he was okay. So far he seemed to be following the pattern. The second thing Touya looked for was as he passed Purrcy.

A hand descended on his head and his hair was tousled gently, then his forward motion was halted by a brief hug. "Good morning, Touya," Purrcy said. "I hope you slept well."

"Yes, thank you," he said. "Good morning. What shall I start with?"

Purrcy released him and he kept going to get out of the way. "We have fruit so much, that I was thinking today maybe we could mix it up a bit - literally. Shall we have fruit smoothies instead of cut fruit?"

"Sure," he said and headed for the necessary tools. He kept his ears, and what he could of his eyes, on his sister.

Minori had reached Purrcy. Purrcy put down her knife and faced Minori directly, something slightly different so Touya paused to watch. Purrcy wrapped her arms around Minori. "Thank you for taking care of me last evening," she said. It was honestly grateful.

Minori's arms went around Purrcy. "I was glad to do it. ...You know, I love you. You can ask any time."

Purrcy went still, then leaned down and kissed the top of Minori's head like she did on the best mornings. "Thank you. I'll remember it. It's only recently I've realized I need to take care of myself in that way, too." She took a deep breath and let it out. "Women smell so much better after all." Touya laughed with Minori while Nyanta's ears and whiskers twitched with humor and mock affront. Purrcy released Minori. "If you could get some bread going, I think that would go perfectly with the main dish Nyanta's thinking of making."

Nyanta looked with wide eyes over his shoulder at her. "I haven't told mew what I'm making yet."

Purrcy flicked an ear at him as she turned back to the table. "No, but I think it will go wonderfully anyway." Minori giggled into her hand. Touya smiled and turned back to getting out his own tools. "No one can resist the _smell_ of freshly baking bread after all," Purrcy said after a thoughtful pause. Touya couldn't hold back a burst of laughter, though he looked back at Nyanta, mortified. Nyanta was looking at Purrcy with a pained expression.

When she finally looked at him mildly, Nyanta put his ears down on purpose in a very sad expression. Purrcy grinned a teasing grin, then stepped over to him. She ran a hand over his head and one of the sad ears. Her expression went soft. "Don't worry. I'll still smell Nyanta, too. ...It's rather impossible not to since I sleep with you as a second blanket." She leaned in and touched his face with her nose, then moved to whisper in his ear. His tail shot out stiffly and his whiskers followed suit, almost sproinging out from his face, and his ears went opposite directions. Touya couldn't help but stare.

Nyanta rather suddenly relaxed, his head dropping to Purrcy's shoulder. "Really," his quiet mutter filtered into the room. "Just when did mew learn to do that?"

Purrcy started purring. "When I was not quite twenty, actually. I've just not had the opportunity to practice for a long time. I'm looking forward to getting to do it more frequently now."

Nyanta started shaking and put an arm around her waist. Touya narrowed his eyes, watching them closely. He relaxed as the laughter finally became audible, then Nyanta was attacking Purrcy's neck with his tongue. "Don't do it too often, Purrcy dear," he said between licks. "I might have to eat mew."

Purrcy was clutching at Nyanta. "Ah, ah! I yield, I yield!" She was almost laughing too hard to get it out. Minori and Touya moved at the same time.

Touya plucked Purrcy away and Minori pushed Nyanta back. They glared at the both of them. "Keep that in the bedroom. In the kitchen, we work!" They gave the older two scowls until they got back apologetic ears and tails, though those still waved happily. When it looked like they would settle appropriately, the twins went back to work after a final glare. The looks they gave each other were satisfied, though. Purrcy was Hahaue this morning.

Touya had the fruit he'd picked out for the smoothies washed and prepared for the most part when the first pair of Eagles walked into the kitchen. He glanced up at them and was starting to look down again when it registered that they were doing something different. He looked back up quickly to see the first one releasing Purrcy from a brief hug. "Good morning," that one said to her.

She was stiff in surprise, but she quickly relaxed. "Good morning OciferJeff."

OciferJeff turned and looked at Nyanta and gave him a nod of the head. "Good morning, Mister Nyanta."

Nyanta was looking at OciferJeff in repressed surprise. "Good morning," he answered politely, the barest hint of a question in his voice.

OciferJeff moved away from them to head to the side table Touya was standing at, his own knife suspended in air, forgotten.

The second Eagle put a hand on Purrcy's shoulder and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Good morning Miss Purrcy," he said.

Purrcy blinked and a hand moved towards her cheek without thought. "Good morning Clocktower," she answered almost automatically. When Clocktower turned to greet the also still stunned Nyanta, Purrcy shook and blinked a few times, then turned back to her cooking.

Clocktower ruffled the top of Minori's head as he passed her. "Good morning Miss Minori," he said cheerfully.

Right about that time OciferJeff reached Touya and clapped a hand on his back. "So, what's the job description for this morning?" he was asked jovially.

Touya blinked and tried to remember what he was doing. "Ah," he looked down at the table. "Smoothies."

"Smoothies?" Clocktower asked from the tool rack. Touya nodded. Clocktower nodded back and pulled down the tools necessary to blend the fruit. Touya and Minori looked at each other in wide-eyed confusion, then tried to get back to work. The sub-guild members were never demonstrative and almost never said much at all to those they considered the 'officers' of the guild - which included Minori and Touya. Usually they just came in, got their orders, and got to work.

Things were okay...for about five minutes. The next pair walked in and Purrcy was enveloped in a hug that swallowed her up. The Eagle held it long enough that everyone was staring. Purrcy finally swallowed, took a breath, then said, "Good morning Gareth. Is there some trouble?" Her hand was reaching for the top of his head. He'd buried his face in her shoulder. He nodded and she started purring and petting his head. Nyanta cautiously went back to work, though he kept an eye on the two of them. The rest followed suit, except Brenner who waited calmly with his arms folded, a small smile now playing about his lips.

After about a minute, Brenner shoved Gareth in the back. "Okay. That's enough. Time to get to work."

Gareth's head came up and he stuck his tongue out at his partner. "Not nearly enough."

Brenner hit him. "It's breakfast time. Move it."

Purrcy pulled away and looked at Gareth with narrowed eyes, then gave him a scolding. "Ask next time before it gets this bad."

Gareth looked back at her and put his hands on his hips. He tilted his head and looked back just as scolding. "And when should I do that when you aren't hardly ever home?" He tapped on her forehead with a finger as if knocking at the door.

Purrcy's eyes went wide, then she shook her head. "I'm always here, Gareth," she said softly. "I may take a bit to come out from behind the cloud, but I'm always here."

Gareth stopped and looked at her soberly. He reached up and put his hand on her head, then pulled her into a gentle hug. "Thanks," he finally said and released her. He walked away without looking at her again and Touya was shocked even further to see his eyes glistening, though he turned away to look at the bread rising on Minori's table, then to head to get the bread pans off the shelf.

Touya's eyes went back to Gareth's partner who's eyes were returning to Purrcy from watching after Gareth. "You'd forgotten who he was," she was scolded softly and gently.

Purrcy's ears went upright and her tail stilled. Then she slumped and turned back to Gareth. "Gareth. I'm sorry." Gareth paused, then looked over his shoulder at her. She paused, then said, "And I didn't forget. ...Every move is calculated."

Every Eagle froze, their eyes locked on her. Purrcy looked away from Gareth and turned to look at Nyanta beseechingly, an ear twitching back towards Gareth. Nyanta looked at her soberly. Touya opened his mouth. "It's true. We've seen it before." The eyes went to him and he stood firm. "Hahaue gives the clues and we have to catch them. Sometimes we don't recognize them until we're talking about it later."

Gareth sighed, relaxing. "But...that doesn't make it better, not really. It hurt."

"I know," Purrcy said quietly. "I'm sorry." She turned back to her stove, which needed her attention. "It won't happen any more. You've understood." Her necklace, which was a choker this morning, yellowed up briefly and everyone dropped that topic immediately.

Brenner waited just a little bit longer, then walked past the felinoids. "Good morning, Nyanta-san," he said pleasantly. He put his hand briefly on Purrcy's shoulder. "Good morning, Miss Purrcy."

"Good morning, Brenner," Purrcy said kindly back glancing at him. But as he left her, Touya saw a shudder go down her back and her tail reached towards Nyanta. Nyanta glanced down at it and moved his tail to brush against hers, bringing it over to slightly curl around his lower leg.

When four more Eagles had come in and just as openly and familiarly greeted Purrcy and Nyanta, many of them also greeting Minori and himself the same, Touya finally had to take himself out of the kitchen. He used the excuse of setting the table to do it. Just as he was getting ready to pass them, Purrcy finally couldn't contain herself any longer and turned to Nyanta, fleeing into his chest. Nyanta held her and purred. Touya kept going. He set down the dishes on the table, trying to understand.

He heard footsteps coming down the stairs and he watched as Reed and one more very thin and small guard walked over to Shiroe's office, knocked once, and let themselves in. As soon as the door clicked behind them, Touya sat down hard in the closest chair. His eyes refused to focus and his mind had ground to a halt. He finally took a breath and called for back up. "Onshi, I think you need to come now."

"Eh? Now?" Naotsugu's voice in his ear helped him to come back a little. "Is something up this morning?" The voice was kind.

"I'm lost," he admitted.

"I'll be down in a jiffy."

Touya wasn't able to stand, but he did start passing the dishes around the table from where he was. It was something to do while he waited, and keeping his hands busy would free up his brain, he hoped.

"What's up?" Naotsugu slipped into the seat opposite Touya and leaned forward on the table, after moving the dishes out of his way so he didn't destroy them.

Touya opened his mouth and six Eagles came down the stairs together. Touya stared at them and watched them. They should have gone straight to setting up the tables and chairs, this set, since he was out with the dishes. Instead, they all trouped into the kitchen. He followed them with his eyes, turning to watch them. He could hear each of them greeting Nyanta and Purrcy and some of the others in the kitchen. Then they came back out and headed for the wall with the tables. When they greeted him he answered back politely and automatically. Naotsugu also received the same treatment and genially responded to each of them. His eyes watched the men, then looked back at Touya, still sharp with battle calculations. Touya nodded, then jerked his head at the kitchen.

Naotsugu rose and walked over to look through the doorway. He slightly froze, his eyes fixated on the first thing he saw. Then after a bit he slowly took in the rest of the room. His eyes followed something and then Minori was at the door, more dishes in her hands, and her eyes locked onto Naotsugu's, her expression sober. Her eyes turned to Touya and he looked at her with a similar expression. She glanced at the Eagles setting up the tables, then moved to head that way. Naotsugu glanced back into the kitchen, then followed Minori until he was back at the central table. He plopped down next to Touya. They paused as one of the six Eagles in the room kindly took the dishes from Minori. She rather woodenly joined the two of them at the table, sitting on the other side of Touya, and sitting rather closely for comfort.

Naotsugu looked at them both, then stood up. "Let's go elsewhere," he said firmly. They both hopped up and followed him obediently. He took them up to the next floor, then changed his mind from going into his room to knock on Akatsuki's. She answered it. "Can we come in?" he asked politely.

Akatsuki stared at them, then jumped a little and let them in. Naotsugu made sure the door was closed behind them. He turned to the twins, folded his arms, and said, "Out with it. Everything." They took turns, Touya starting it, until they'd told it all. When they were done, they both slumped in relief at getting to let others worry about it all.

Naotsugu looked at Akatsuki, who looked back soberly. "Tetorō, come to Akatsuki's room, pronto," Naotsugu said.

They waited quietly, knowing Naotsugu was calculating but needed more information before he could announce it. Naotsugu looked at Akatsuki. "Did you know they were going to visit Shiroe this morning?" She shook her head. "Since last night," he muttered.

There was a knock and Tetorō entered, closing the door and arriving next to them with a bounce. His eyes took in the group and settled on Naotsugu. "Why would the Eagles suddenly be present and affectionate for Purrcy?"

Tetorō blinked in surprise. "Ah...because they've finally understood?"

"Yup," Naotsugu grunted. He rubbed his hand on his forehead. "That's it." He thought about that a bit longer, then relaxed. "You can go back to work. It's okay. She's just overwhelmed that they care. Stay nearby, but give her the space to recover." He looked at Akatsuki. "Be on standby. He might need a hand to hold." Akatsuki nodded once, firmly. Naotsugu looked up. "But we might finally get to see a smile on his face again by the end of the day." Akatsuki slumped in relief. They looked at her in surprise.

"He - he's cried every night since then," she admitted to them quietly.

Minori's hand went to her chest, her face scrunched in worry and pain. Touya nodded, feeling it too. "Yeah. Me too. At least, on the inside. That's why I had to see it this morning first thing." Tetorō reached out a hand and ruffled Touya's hair comfortingly.

Turning to Naotsugu, Tetorō said, "I'll let them step up today, and watch what they do. You probably don't need to worry from now."

Naotsugu took Tetorō's shoulder in his hand and looked at him, slightly worried. "And you? You'll let this heal you, too."

Tetorō blinked, then slowly smiled a wry smile. "Yeah. I'll let them take that burden, too." Naotsugu nodded once and let him go. Nearly as one, they all took deep breaths and let them out. "I'll let Isuzu know, too. She'll want to know once we get out and she sees it on the road," Tetorō added.

With a nod, the emergency meeting broke up and they returned to their workstations.

-:-:-:-:-

They were gathering at the table, the meal having been announced, when Michael walked down the stairs, the last one to arrive from above. He glanced around the room almost casually, then walked up to stand in front of Purrcy with his arms folded. He inspected her closely, then held open his arms. She ran into the embrace and held him tightly. He held her gently. "Thank you, Michael," she said as she shivered.

Michael looked up at Nyanta with a sober but kind expression. "It's what we're here for," he said. Nyanta dipped his head in acknowledgement. Michael pet Purrcy a few times, then gently extricated himself from her and pushed her back over to Nyanta who held her, petting her to help her calm.

The door to Shiroe's office opened and Shiroe walked out, followed by the two who had visited him that morning. His sharp eyes scanned over the waiting guild members in front of him as he walked towards his seat. The rest of the guild returned the favor. One eyebrow went up slightly and his eyes settled on Purrcy, then moved to Nyanta, who looked back calmly. An ear twitched towards Michael and Shiroe looked at Michael next. "All present and accounted for, sir," Michael said with quiet pride. As Shiroe's eyes moved towards the sub-guild tables, they all shifted into formal attention.

He looked at each of them, then bowed slightly. "Thank you," he said quietly. "It is much appreciated. We'll be counting on you from this time."

"Sir, yessir!" It was a bit deafening in the guild hall and Touya had to rub an ear, but a slow smile creeped on his face. It was nice he wasn't the only one. Even Purrcy had on a sorrowful smile that reminded Touya of the sun shining weakly after a storm shower. He sighed and sat down, too tired to stay on his feet any more. Everyone else sat down, too, and they started in on eating.

The bread had been smelling delicious for long enough now that Touya felt like both sides of his stomach had met and were pinching each other. He focused on eating until that feeling went away and he could sit back with a contented sigh. He dozed in his seat until the daily morning meeting began. He opened his eyes to look at Hahaue one last time for the day and her eyes met his. She smiled at him then reached up and tapped her forehead. His eyes widened, then he slumped and nodded. He needed to remember it also. Hahaue was always in there. If he needed her, he didn't have to wait for a perfect morning. He just needed to ask her to come out and talk to him.

When it came his turn to state what he was going to do that day, he answered, "Take a nap right after breakfast...then take my sister on a date. We'll see after that. Let me know what you need."

Minori sat up in surprise and looked at him. "I thought we said it _wasn't_ going to happen?"

He looked back at her mildly. "I changed my mind. I think it sounds like a good idea. We'll just do something different."

"Oh," she said faintly. "Okay." She looked back at Shiroe. "I guess I'm going to go on a date with my brother, and whatever else you need, though I also need to make sure the groceries come and get put away properly today."

Shiroe smiled at them both. "I hope you have a good time." They smiled back. It wasn't the smile they were looking for, but it was a good start.

"Ah, ah, ...me too!" Akatsuki said suddenly from her position, sitting upright with nervousness. Shiroe looked at her in surprise. "I want a date, too. With Shiroe," she added quickly so there wouldn't be confusion.

Purrcy narrowed her eyes at Shiroe. "Just how long _has_ it been? Have you been slacking off on the weekly's?"

Shiroe looked at her wide eyed, then slumped just slightly. "I guess I have, though only for the last couple." He looked at Akatsuki. "Sorry." She shook her head just minutely. Forgiveness, but he needed to correct it. The rest agreed, actually.

Shiroe looked at the ceiling. "Purrcy's asked me to go with her this morning to the Guild Hall. Shall we make it a lunch date, and do that just before?" He looked back at Akatsuki.

She considered it seriously, then looked around the table. "Haven't had a guild date since ...before."

"You'd accept that?" Shiroe asked in mild surprise.

Akatsuki looked back at him, then nodded. "This time...but...."

Shiroe smiled. "I know. There still has to be some time just the two of us." Akatsuki blushed and nodded.

Touya nodded in agreement. He wanted Minori to himself for some of the time, too.

"Welp, I'll call Marielle, then," Naotsugu said cheerily. "I'm sure she'd love an excuse to wiggle out from under Henrietta's thumb today."

Michael leaned on the table and sighed, looking at Tetorō. "We really need to find more women in town. It's getting old being your date all the time."

Tetorō laughed. "I have no idea where we'd find twenty-five women."

"West Wind Brigade," Purrcy said into her cup as she drained the last of her fruit smoothie.

Touya spurted a laugh and that got the whole room going. When they were finally calming down Nyanta sighed. "Poor Souji-kun. He's already worried enough we're going to make him into another Crescent Moon. To even think such a thing, ...he must be getting the shudders." He looked at Purrcy. "And here I said mew're the one purrotecting him, too. How shall I be able to speak to him again?"

Purrcy raised an eyeridge. "Open your mouth and say 'hello'?"

Nyanta laughed for a whole minute straight, chortling off and on even after he recovered. He really did have an odd sense of humor.

"As if being unapologetic solves everything," Naotsugu grumbled lightly.

"So far it has," Purrcy answered mildly. "That's why he thinks it's funny."

Naotsugu stared at her, then shook his head. "You really are something, you know that?"

"Don't tell me what, though," she answered. "I'm sure I won't like it."

Naotsugu leaned on his elbow and opened his mouth. Nyanta immediately glared at him and he refrained. Michael opened his mouth and Nyanta glared at _him_. Michael slowly closed his mouth and relented with a sigh. "But you know," he did say, "she already knows it."

"Of course," Nyanta said archly. "That's _why_ mew _don't_ need to say it." They all obeyed.

Purrcy took Nyanta's hand under the table and held it tightly. They knew when it happened now. She smiled a little at Shiroe. "I'm going to work less hard today, and relax a little more, even if I'm still walking down the street to the next appointment. And when you call to tell me it's date lunch time, I'm going to meet you there and eat properly." She looked at Nyanta. "And when Nyanta decides it's time to come home and fix dinner, we'll be back to fix dinner."

Nyanta looked at her for a moment, then leaned over and gave her a kiss. He looked at Shiroe. "That. What she said."

Tetorō nodded. "Same here."

The eyes turned to Michael, who was last on the list. He folded his arms. "I'm going to do my usual job of keeping an eye on everything...from inside Shiroe's office." Shiroe raised an eyebrow at him. "So he can ask me at any time what's going on and get an immediate answer so he can focus on what's important here at home."

Shiroe furrowed his brow. "Aren't you supposed to be teaching?"

Michael smiled. "Nope, though I can do that from your office, too. You should be getting the request to teach your short course in the next day or two. That class has moved up enough Tetorō and I are both covered. We're done, though I'm on call this round if they get stuck."

Shiroe paused, then nodded in satisfaction. "Rather good timing, actually." He was gone, they could tell. They waited until he came back and told them the plan for the day. "Good to go. Akatsuki, I'll be counting on you to interrupt and get us moving on the lunch date." She nodded once. "The Eagles can have that time off." They almost looked disappointed. "But feel free to include yourselves in the date. You're guild, too, after all." They looked better. He was still thinking.

Rudy leaned over and whispered to Isuzu, "Miss Isuzu, do we _really_ have to go on the date, too?"

She looked at him. "Of course we do," she scolded. "You'll be there!"

Rudy sighed, then looked at the head of the table. "Don't forget you need to receive your wedding gifts soon and express your gratitude for them. It can languish a while, but shouldn't be ignored. That would be the height of rudeness, after all."

"Wedding...presents?" Purrcy asked, her tail stiffening.

They all nodded and pointed to the space under the tree. They'd been piling up since before the wedding, really.

"Ah, add that after dinner, we'll be doing present unwrapping," Purrcy amended her schedule. She stared at the pile, then turned to Nyanta. After a bit she sighed. "I guess it has to be expected." He nodded and she gave in.

Shiroe finished handing out assignments and excused them. Touya put his dishes in the kitchen, then took himself to his room and collapsed in his bed. It wasn't his normal time to sleep, but he'd not been sleeping then so now was as good a time as any, and even a better one, really, today.


	23. Reviewing the Fighting Guilds

Soujirou's main city watch teams were on the field early warming up for the day. He himself was getting in his morning work-out and practice. Since the conversation at Log Horizon and watching Akatsuki learn eight new Mysteries in the few hours between that and the wedding rehearsal, he'd been working on figuring out how to integrate the visual of what he wanted to have happen (not as easy to see as it sounded) with the physical manifestation of it. He had only the day before understood that when his muscles tightened in reaction to what he was trying to visualize, as if he were acting on the visual without moving while seeing it, that it came a little easier. Sometimes in the practice, the body wouldn't "move without moving". Today he was working on the physical side of that to see if it was because he needed to body-learn it, or if it was because it was a physical impossibility to begin with.

Soujirou very carefully set up the prior move to what he wanted to do, then slowly moved into the move he wanted to do, paying attention to the strain and pull on the muscles in the arm, down the side, and into the legs to feel the balance of the move. It went fine until he reached the end of it, going into the transition to the following move. A muscle at the back of his hip on the sword arm side seized. He immediately stopped and reversed until it relaxed, not wanting to cause a pulled muscle. He paused, considered the move again, and backed it all the way up. He relaxed, sheathed his katana, then got into stance again without a blade. Moving just as slowly as before, and with as much concentration, he repeated the movement. When he reached that point, again there was a twinge in the hip, though it wasn't immediately painful like before.

Carefully he moved on through to the follow on, and his leg wanted to shift. He backed up to just before the twinge, shifted his foot back a centimeter and a half and tried again. That almost did it. He backed up and shifted the foot back just a little more. That did the trick and he was able to sweep the arm down and into the next move. He was unbalanced half-way through it, due to the shifting of his foot. Irritation flashed through him and he paused to allow it to move on through and dissipate, then backed up slightly to learn where the balance point was for that part of the move. Once he had that resolved, he worked on figuring out when the foot needed to be moved between the two necessary points in the overall movement. It was awkward, but could be done if he kept his weight on the back foot. It would reduce the power of the slash, but if he wanted the total Mystery, that might be an acceptable price.

For another five minutes he continued to work on the overall mini-sequence without the weight of the katana. Once it felt smooth, and like the physical body had it understood, he pulled his katana out again and tried it with weight on the muscles one more time slowly. This time, with his foot better positioned, the muscle in the back hip didn't seize, and he was able to continue through the entire short set.

He paused and frowned. Maybe the power loss would be acceptable, but the waver at the tip of the katana wouldn't be. He watched the point of the sword this time, letting the body do what it had learned to this point. It was no good. At that transition point in the footwork, it completely translated into a bad sword stroke. He lowered his arm and sighed, letting his body recover. He was going to have to rethink this part of the overall Mystery he was hoping to learn, which was disappointing, but the basic fundamentals he'd learned had been helpful. He'd have to test it a few more times to make sure that it was always a problem in the swordwork rather than the movement, but for a first study, it was telling.

There was a quiet step nearby and Soujirou turned to look. "I'm sorry to interrupt," a soft voice said. "May I know what the results were?"

Soujirou blinked. "Purrcy." He tipped his head. There was something ...different. He looked around the area. For one, she wasn't surrounded by guards. But it was more than that. He watched her as he answered. "The formation of the Mystery as a whole wasn't working. It was one of the points that the muscles wouldn't respond, so I broke it down. There were muscle problems that I worked out first. Once that was resolved, adding in the katana showed me that it wasn't a workable sword motion. Minute things in the physical translate into larger problems at the tip of the sword. That part will have to be removed from the whole."

"Intriguing," Purrcy mused. "Shiroe and I were discussing the theory of how the world knows when we're learning something. At the time the only answer I had was equivalent to 'it reads our minds'. He wasn't happy with that, of course. I do know it reads the body when we're learning physical things like this. I wonder if it's running a complex rotational model?"

"Actually, I learn the Mystery faster if I let the body feel it as I visualize it."

"Hoh?" Her brow furrowed. "I wonder how that translates for things like scribing and skills that use the mind more than the body? Maybe I'll see if Shiroe's been running his own experiments. He sits still all day but still goes up in levels on his skills. Maybe he's got more data, or can get it."

"I know _I'd_ rather not have my mind read," Soujirou said dryly.

"Tell me about it," Purrcy agreed just as dry. She looked around the practice field. "You must be very proud of them all. They work so hard." She looked back at him, "And I would think they work as hard at home to keep each other going day by day."

Soujirou smiled. "Yes, they do. It still isn't easy. Not everyone's personality can keep up the happiness all day for this long. We finally had the cat fights after the first year and people were getting comfortable, but they got worked out and now everyone knows who needs their personal space when, and who needs the hugs. Having good things to do to help others in the city keeps them moving forward with strength, too." He shifted. "But you were with us yesterday?"

Purrcy nodded. "Yes, but today is watching the fighting guilds do what they do best. We're on our way to begin, but I wanted to start here, while I could in passing." She gave him a very fond look that he found just a little confusing since he didn't understand its source. It was part of the different-ness about her this morning. "I watched them, but really it was more intriguing to me to watch you. I hope you don't mind."

He raised an eyebrow. "You already have enough in your reverse harem, don't you?"

Purrcy's whiskers twitched. "Well...if you put it that way, it isn't a good thing, is it?"

"That's not a thing to ask me, I think," he said calmly.

Purrcy sighed. "It wasn't that." She looked away and he thought she seemed a bit sad. Then she shook her head. "No, actually, it was, I just didn't recognize it." She laughed a little. "I think I've been jealous you protect so many women so well." She looked back at him with a sad sort of smile. "I'm sure I should be content. They're all working hard for me and I appreciate their concern. You're also working very hard for people you care for. I won't ask again."

Soujirou paused. He couldn't scold someone else for a problem he had himself, but it seemed hers was for a different reason? Not that he could put his finger on his own reason for attracting a harem. It seemed like it just happened organically somehow. "Why do you want me?" he asked, curious, wondering if the answer would be what the other ladies of the guild would answer.

She gave him a look from the side of her eyes, and a cynical smile. "I just told you."

Soujirou frowned. "Because I protect women?" he finally asked. She gave silent satisfaction with that answer. "But you already have enough protection to be smothered!" He couldn't believe it.

She nodded. "And so I should be content, neh? That's why the rest of them flock to you, you know. It's rare for men to care enough to protect as a matter of course and personal philosophy. Most care enough to help, but that's as far as it goes." She shifted and turned to him, bowing. "Thank you for your time and allowing us to stop by and visit." Her ear was turned towards the practice field. He looked and could see her guards coming for her, along with some of the guild ladies coming for him. "Please take care and continue to stay strong, unless you're in the arms of the one who will let you be soft on yourself without allowing you to wallow in guilt at the same time. Even the strongest trees take the time to rest in the winter."

As she moved to go, he reached out and touched her arm. "Purrcy," he said, looking her in the eyes. They were still soft and sad. "What is it?" He watched as the light in her eyes went away and she turned, not answering the question, slipping from his fingers to join her guards.

"We need to get to the Guild Hall, then," she said in her normal business-like tones to them. "There's a lot to do today."

Soujirou caught Tetorō's eye. His look was just as sad, though he nodded pleasantly as he turned away to follow in his usual place at Purrcy's left. Soujirou folded his arms. Something wasn't right in Log Horizon. "Shiroe-sempai. Talk."

"Ah, Souji? Good morning."

"Why did Purrcy just stop by our practice grounds this morning?"

"Ah...she did?"

"It wasn't planned?"

"Not really, though you are technically also a fighting guild so it meets the day's schedule." Shiroe sounded just a little guarded, though as polite as always. "Was it anything special?"

"She met me alone and was different. What's wrong?"

Shiroe didn't answer for a while. Then lights appeared in front of Soujirou's eyes. _I'm sending over someone to explain. We're still wire-tapped, and recorded video-audio surveillance. If Hahaue's talked to you, she wants you to know._

"I'll wait," Soujirou said, "right here."

-:-:-:-:-

Ains was waiting, somewhat impatiently. He really wanted to give Purrcy a piece of his mind. Life in Theldesia was difficult enough without having external pressures on everyone they didn't need. His guild in particular. He was working hard to hold it all together as it was, every day. He'd taken on a lot of the middle players early on who needed protection and help and couldn't move forward on their own. Most of them were finally resigned to being here for the long term and were trying to live again. He was glad they were. His upper level, original guild members (those who'd been willing to stay and be altruistic with him), had struggled with him to get them living members of society again instead of frightened, apathetic zombies, and were feeling relieved the stress was off somewhat.

To have new, powerful sub-classes appear out of nowhere, then to have one in particular be so demanding and irritating wasn't helping to keep the lives of the Adventurers of Akiba moving along smoothly. He'd been happy with the way things had been going, even though Shiroe occasionally reared his head to make waves until they calmed him back down. Ains also wasn't thrilled to have the headaches coming back whenever Purrcy was in town. He'd been teased before about being "allergic" to stress, and she was definitely that. He'd rather she'd been left in the Maze of Eternity, or gone back home to Minami, though he understood full well why Shiroe had lept at the opportunity to have another powerful weapon in his back pocket. He was hungry like that. At least he moved quietly - mostly.

That was another point against Purrcy. She was making Shiroe brave. That was making far more waves right now than Ains was happy with. Maybe the crafter guilds had needed to streamline to make their lives easier. That's fine. He just wished they didn't have to drag the fighter guilds into it. Getting more practice in the Maze of Eternity was okay, and maybe having the Akiba fighter guilds work a little harder in joint maneuvers so the city could be safer in the (unlikely) event of future attacks on the city was useful, but did they really need to participate in the changes Purrcy was apparently behind? It was bad enough Shiroe kept wanting to influence them for his projects. They didn't need a second unknown to be the same, or rather, worse. Ains rubbed his thumb on his eyebrow over the top of the outside edge of his right eye. The headache this morning was most definitely because she would be arriving shortly.

Log Horizon had requested that Purrcy be allowed to watch a fighter practice so she could understand how his guild, Honesty, worked together as a fighting guild. Tetorō had explained that she had been a solo and was trying to understand how group fighting really worked. Ains was sure it was for other reasons and his lips pursed in distaste again. If she was a solo there was no way she was going to understand what she was seeing when she got there, regardless. He'd wanted to say no to the visit altogether, but Log Horizon was hard to say no to - they were slippery like that - and he wanted to take her down a few notches and let her know just how unhappy with her he was.

"Log Horizon's here," came on his information guild chat line.

"We're ready," he responded. He'd considered showing her what they could do by launching a PK attack on her and her guards, but that wasn't right, and it wouldn't give him the ability to talk to her. Not to mention since the festival display of what the fighters of that guild could do made it a near impossibility for such a thing to become a lesson for her. Instead, he'd thought of something else to do.

"Miss Purrcy, welcome," he said coldly polite. "This is Honesty's fighting practice area. If you would please come sit over here?" He led her to a chair they'd set up for her on a small stand. He stood next to her, his hands folded together inside his long yukata sleeves. Once her guards were positioned around the stand, Tetorō and Nyanta-san behind them on the stand along with Isuzu-chan surprisingly, Ains raised a hand. The guild members who were waiting on the practice field began their standard field maneuvers, and Ains began his questioning and testing of Purrcy's knowledge of basic fighting techniques.

For the most part, he was right. She was absolutely clueless about what they were doing as groups on the field. She didn't know basic positioning, common combinations of attacks and recovery, and certainly not theory. When the practice and testing session was completed, Ains turned to her and glared at her. "Why have you come, when you know nothing? What is there you can say that you don't still need to learn?"

Purrcy rose and smiled a small smile. "I have come to learn, and you've taught me very much today. Thank you. I don't think I would have had any other opportunity to learn the basics so finely executed and explained. I'm not likely to retain the majority of it since I'm not a Shiroe, or even a Guildmaster, but I will be a better fighter for it and understand far better how to be an integrated member rather than a solo, now. You and your guild members work very hard together. I'm sure they're very proud of their efforts. It's difficult to have a group become cohesive and yet still allow each member to voice their own thoughts so that all sides of an issue can be considered properly."

She blinked at him. "You don't have to like me, Guildmaster Ains. I would rather you didn't. There must be all sane voices present or the ball won't be round. It will be a disk that only goes to the left or right. For all it's right for you to choose to be a restraint on the Round Table Council, please remember that obstinacy for obstinacy's sake is not helpful to the obstinate. I'll listen properly to your words, as I have today, but there's a place we must go, and that is home. If you have the answer we'll listen. If you don't, please let us move all of us forward in that direction as best we can."

Ains pursed his lips at her. Trying to get his feet back under him, he finally said, "Miss Purrcy. You are arrogant and insufferable. I do not like you, and I don't need your permission to dislike you. I would much rather you left Akiba alone, and more particularly the Round Table. ...And I am not obstinate."

"Well, I don't want to get into an argument, so we'll agree to disagree on many things, shall we?" Purrcy said. "Thank you for allowing me to come at all today. I suppose we won't look terribly forward to facing each other across the table, but I hope we'll keep it polite for everyone else's sake." She turned to walk off the stand. After stepping down she turned back, "And Ains, I do really appreciate your lesson today. I was in desperate need of it."

He blinked at her and watched her walk off with her retinue. When they were out of sight, he reached up and rubbed his eyebrow with his thumb again. He couldn't tell if he'd won or not and that was perhaps most frustrating. He didn't know whether he could relax now for the rest of the day or not. In irritation, he let it drop. He didn't need to get an ulcer because of her. He'd have to fight her again in two days. That was soon enough. In the meantime, he had important things to do.

-:-:-:-:-

Rieze was waiting for Purrcy and her group at the same field they'd used during the festival. It was their usual spot, being the largest fighting group in Akiba after all. "Rieze," Purrcy said, all business today.

Rieze nodded a curt nod. "Purrcy. What did you want to see that's different from the demonstration?"

Purrcy tipped her head thoughtfully. "Guildmaster Ains just gave me a complete education on the basics of group fighting. It cleared up some of the fighting questions I had coming out of the Maze of Eternity. Could you go over what you as a guildmaster, or a raid leader, consider during a battle? What is in the mind of the leader who is giving the orders? I'm never likely to be one, but I'd like to understand some of the why, if possible. Maybe then it will be easier for me to understand the individual how in the midst of the party action."

Rieze thought about that, then nodded. She called out a practice maneuver they commonly used and her volunteers for the day got into position. "Commander level practice!" she called out. That would let them know she was training her spot, not theirs, and they'd stop when she called for pauses in the action so she could explain. When it looked like Purrcy and the field were ready, Rieze began. She fell immediately into her standard teaching mode. Purrcy stood next to her and listened closely and watched. Occasionally she asked questions, but not often. That was the sign she really was a novice to it. Those who knew what they were supposed to be learning asked lots of questions. She didn't slow down though, and Purrcy didn't ask her to. Rieze firmly believed that hearing the deep and hard stuff from the top taught better than watering it down, even if the lesson had to be repeated four times. She suspected Purrcy would only have to hear it now, practice it in the field twice, and hear it one more time and she'd have it. Rieze actually itched to make it happen. That was her Trainer calling coming to the front, though.

When it was done, Rieze took a drink from her canteen, as all her guild on the field were. Hydration was important. She handed the canteen to Purrcy. Purrcy took it politely and drank as well. "Thank you," she said handing it back. "What would you recommend, as a trainer, for the next step?"

Rieze raised an eyebrow, surprised she'd asked, surprised her mind had been read again. "That you get in there for two rounds of that, then come back and hear it all again. Then you'll have a clue what I'm talking about."

Purrcy rubbed her head and turned to look at Nyanta and Tetorō. "I don't know what my goal for the day is. I've lost it. I want to do that." She pointed at Rieze. "I have no idea how to take the words and integrate them. But somehow I feel like it might not be what I was originally intending to do today."

They both smiled at her. "Eat next," Nyanta ordered kindly.

Rieze blinked. "Oh, it is lunch time, isn't it?" She looked at her time. "The whistle will blow in about two. Let's go do that. Maybe you'll remember after that. How many more do you have to visit today?"

Tetorō answered. "Just Knights of the Black Sword. There's time for a bit more after lunch, but let's see if it's what's supposed to happen before we commit." He turned and looked at Purrcy. "Shiroe sends his regrets, but something's come up and the lunch meeting's been postponed. We can stay here for lunch if you wish."

"Okay," Rieze and Purrcy said together. Rieze gave Purrcy a half-smile and led them over to the place her guild was gathering to open bentos for lunch. They were often on the field all day practicing, at least portions of them. This set would rotate out for another after lunch so they'd practice with a different grouping if Purrcy stayed.

-:-:-:-:-

Lunch was a nice relaxed affair. Even the guards appreciated the break better than the previous day's lunch. But then, they were on familiar ground, too. They'd practiced in this field and eaten lunch with this group for the last month. The word had gone round that Stiletto had been sent by Shiroe to talk to Soujirou after they'd left that morning and he was as hot as the guild. The most interesting thing had been the comment from Stiletto that he'd been sent to talk to Soujirou because Hahaue had talked to him first, and left him questioning. Looks were going around the group at the lunch table that communicated more than most people's looks did. A fighting group that spent as much time training together as they had learned how to do that. Talk without making sounds. Sounds could get you killed under the right circumstances after all.

Eventually, Rieze looked directly at Charlie. Her look said, " _Shut up or let me in on it._ " He blinked at her and glanced at the woods. Shortly after she was done eating, she excused herself for a bit of a "personal-space break" and wandered away into those self-same woods. They'd decided to do it because of that one little scene on the replay of the day the explosion went off heralding Purrcy's imminent arrival. If she'd been Hahaue to Rieze, she wanted Rieze to know, too, if that's how it had been for Soujirou. They were letting Stiletto handle that one too. He had the skills to get the knowledge, and to prevent anyone else from knowing he had it or had passed it on. He'd worked the hardest of all of them to get to high levels of Hacker. So far, it looked like Purrcy didn't know. Though now they figured it was just as likely she did and was purposely ignoring it.

Actually the newest question they wanted to dig up the answer for was...just how long was this level really going to be? They'd had it passed around that Shiroe and Tetorō had agreed that it was a long one...or two, but that was rather too vague. Missions needed proper limits. They'd also figured out Shiroe only gave those details when it was time to move on them, but they knew he had to get the info to make the plans ahead of time. So they were watching Purrcy.

After a bit of nervous 'pushing' to get one of them to ask the next question, Purrcy herself shifted. "Tetorō, give me a bit of help on what the different positions mean for Log Horizon. We aren't a large guild like D.D.D. so even if I learn it from her - and I do want to, though it might be the detailed level I need to come back to - I'll still need to understand it from our guild's point of view." Everyone settled to listen closely.

Tetorō shifted into a more comfortable position. "Well, there's actually two. Do you want the fighting formation when we're on campaign in a dungeon or zone, or do you want the formation for when we're doing the town campaigns?"

Purrcy blinked. "Well...how to answer that? Tetorō, you know I like the latter a lot better. That sounds like learning who's who in the royal court, only for the MMORPG guild formation instead. Now I want to play hookie from work and have you answer that one, when I meant the first one."

Tetorō grinned evilly. "Since it's break time, you get to hear the second one then. I'll tell you the first one when you need to hear it during a work time. Though it'll be obvious once you understand what D.D.D. can teach you. You've already worked with the junior group after all."

"Oh, well, that's true. So," Purrcy shifted closer to Isuzu, taking her hand which Isuzu patiently let her do, and sat with her ears perked excitedly at Tetorō, "tell." She got laughed at, but she ignored them. Nyanta sat back to relax against the tree they were under, keeping watch.

"I'm field monitor. I go out and get data and bring it back. Get the feel for what the city's doing and feeling and saying, put my ear to the ground, let Shiroe know what's coming down the street, so to speak. When we figured out what was up with you, after you first arrived, Naotsugu was walking down the line, putting the formation together. That's overall lead of the party, sometimes called battle monitor. He's good at it. He gets it by feel - who is what and where they need to be if they don't already know."

"Shiroe's the one who says what dungeon we're going to face and when to go in, but he really relies on Naotsugu a lot when we're not sure if we're still alive or not, or if we can go on or need to pull out and rest for a bit. Naotsugu's the main tank, holding everything in place and keeping everyone going. That's why he sits on the couch all the time and we move around him. He's holding the center so we can get the work done, and while he's doing it he's keeping track of if everyone's safe or needs a boost or to fall back and be switched out. He's also the main healer. When my HP falls too far, I cuddle with him because he's refilling my tank - he's my operator, even though when we're battling on the field it's the opposite."

Purrcy nodded. It made sense to the Eagles, too. They'd seen it. "Touya's Naotsugu's backup tank. He goes into it first and pulls if he needs to. That is, he watches to see what the day holds and warns Naotsugu if something's going to come down hard that day. We all watch him and Minori, since they're vanguard, and we look to Naotsugu after that to see where we're starting from before Shiroe sets the strategy based on how hard they've determined the day's battle is going to be. Then during the day, Touya keeps watch to see if he's needed in house or out based on what's going down. So he's a freelance tank, if you will. Minori is his operator, that's why they stick together. He protects her and she keeps him filled up so they can keep moving."

"Isuzu and Rudy are long-range, just like with the fighting. They get sent out on long orders if they need to be, or are pulled in when we're working close range, but they move more since they're light, where Touya's heavy. It's sometimes hard to tell, but really I think Rudy is Isuzu's operator. She knows when to move and speak and does with great precision, like a Swashbuckler or Assassin. She doesn't flail about needlessly, but she does need to have the support of Rudy's enthusiasm to keep her feeling like she can do her job. She's still working on believing in herself sometimes." Tetorō smiled and winked at Isuzu. "Rudy has his jobs he does and they're important and she helps him around the edges too, but he's more like a Druid. He's planted a lot of things and he nurtures them. That's where he gets his info from."

Tetorō paused and took a drink from his canteen. "Shiroe's the master strategist and main fire power, of course, so he's the most protected. He's got his operator, Akatsuki, on guard all the time to make sure nothing gets through, and if he needs help she kills whatever's bothering him and gets him the time for the main tank and operator to get to him - Naotsugu. She can only do basic life support because he's so big a gun, so to speak - like a Sorcerer. Naotsugu's the only one with enough juice to help him recover, but he moves slow. We try to keep them close as much as possible, but we keep Shiroe protected enough that not much can get him low enough to need it." He stopped and glared at Purrcy. "Except you. That wasn't nice at all, what you did when you came."

Purrcy looked surprised. "Well, no it wasn't, but I didn't know that's what was happening, at least in this way of looking at it. But he's always been protected so they had to work hard to find some way to get him down."

Tetorō looked disgruntled, but had to agree it wasn't bad strategy when one considered that Log Horizon had been the target. "You're not going to do that again, are you?" he asked.

Purrcy shrugged. "Not if I can help it." That had to do. If she got marching orders, she wouldn't have a choice.

"Let's see...That leaves Nyanta-san." Tetorō looked sideways at the reclining felinoid. "He's like he is. The dancer. Light and deadly at the same time. Precision attacker. At the same time, he's the light healer. The one everyone wants the small shot from when they need one to jump back in the game." He looked back at Purrcy, "And you're the long-distance field monitor; recon. You go deep and long for long periods of time, then come back and paint the big picture of the next floor, get everyone ready to descend, help get it going, then when it looks like we've got it covered, you disappear for the next level, to figure it out. Nyanta's your operator since he can get to you and get you back out to recover, but I'm the back-up since I'm the short-range field monitor and can get to you if you get close enough to us."

Sudden looks of understanding went through the sub-guild guards. They'd just been told why Nyanta had been made indestructible. He had to go deep into dangerous territory to recover and retrieve. It also explained why those two were the two who walked with her all the time. She'd come back and was passing on the intel and they were keeping her guarded and filling her HP back up. _That_ likely took a long time since she was gone out so long. The contract being signed by Nyanta made sense now, too. He had to be able to get to her if she got lost. They noodled on that for a bit as Tetorō and Purrcy tossed little details around. The final decision was that there wasn't an answer yet to how long because Purrcy was still dishing out the intel that Shiroe was reading. Once he had it all, then he'd know where they were going. And then they understood why he'd been frustrated when she'd first arrived and wouldn't open her mouth.

Shiroe had been expecting immediate data. She'd said she had to see how the city was operating first. And more people were being brought into the team. People in the city. That's how big it was. Not single party. Not even raid size or they would have been enough. It was at a minimum full raid. That was sizeable. Then there was a negatory, and they were reminded by that one...the _last_ one had been full raid. After a pause, there was a flurry of arguing on whether this one would be as well or if it really would be legion level until the betting was done and everyone settled somewhat. It still hadn't answered the original question, but it could be asked without causing trouble now.

"So, hey," Schedules spoke up, "Tetorō, how big is this one supposed to be?"

Tetorō turned and looked at Purrcy. "Can you tell us?" he asked.

Purrcy smiled, her whiskers going up. "We said it at the beginning. We're going to China, and then beyond. ...I suppose you could only consider China for now. We can't continue on until after it's done and then we'll know if we head inland or around the north bridge into the States."

"Everyone?!" Tetorō asked in surprise.

"Not necessarily," she answered. "Me and the Eagles for sure. Some of Calasin's group and some of Michitaka's, and maybe a few of Roderick's. Today I'm trying to figure out if we're taking any from the Akiba fighting guilds past China other than our own, though they'll decide it all themselves. I just put out the quest requests."

"What will tomorrow tell you?" another asked.

"When we can go and what level of effort and time expense is going to be part of the campaign. If we get to repair all the gates on the way, we'll be gone at least a year. We have to hit every gate and fix them on the way. If we can't get the gates open, we just walk around the bridge, or sail the ocean if the liner's ready in time. That's why we'll be looking at the shipyard, too. I need to know if we'll only sail the Sea of Japan or if we'll sail the ocean instead of use our feet. Those are the top layers. Next layer down I won't know until China's done. I've got other irons in the fire, too, but they're like poptarts. They'll pop up when they're done and just add to the overall picture. A few could completely change where we march, but until they pop they remain black boxes so we don't include them in the pre-planning."

They blinked. That was actually more intel than they'd expected. She was cue on for knowing what and where she was. She didn't move blind...she moved eighty feet ahead.

"And the meeting?" Rieze's suspicious voice sounded from overhead.

Purrcy looked up at her. "That's the quest proposal and request. Shiroe and I'll sit and prepare the formal request after the reviews and before the meeting."

"And I missed it. What's the goal?"

"You haven't missed it. It's been openly discussed already," Purrcy answered calmly. "Going home. And if we can't, properly surviving on this planet without wiping it or ourselves out in the process. We're the parasites, after all, unless we figure that much out." She rose and dusted herself off. "I think it's time to move on, and while I do want to have that lesson from you and your guild, Rieze, today is not the day. Maybe while we're on the march, if you decide to join us. Thank you for your time today. I really appreciate the lesson." She bowed properly to Rieze who nodded back. As they walked away, the guards gave Rieze a thumbs up. She nodded soberly, then turned away to call her next group of soldiers up for training.

-:-:-:-:-

The arrival of the Log Horizon contingent at Knights of the Black Sword almost went unnoticed. There were the usual small group practices, one-on-one fighter practices, and general meandering going on that usually went on for that guild. Some were in the guild hall, some were in town, some were out of town on raids of various levels. When Tetorō asked where Isaac was, they were given a rather vague answer. Purrcy put her hand on Tetorō's arm. "It's okay. This is really what I want to see." Her eyes were scanning all around and her ears were perked up. Her tail was waving in the slow way it did when she was pleased.

As if they were part of the guild, they meandered about the grounds following Purrcy's feet and whims. In the guild hall they paused and listened in on debates about the best way to take down efreets and in on a domestic squabble that was finally resolved by a third party who was done with the noise. She even stopped by the kitchen, tasted the food being worked on when invited and praised it before moving on. Everyone made sure they got tastes, too. It wasn't bad at all.

Outside, they stopped to watch the field. She occasionally asked questions, pointing to the particular grouping she was wondering about. A few times, her whiskers and lips twitched up as her ear turned to specific locations. Finally she couldn't hold it in any longer and turned them towards the guild hall again, a larger smile on her face.

Stopping where she could look up at the windows, she finally found one and stared at it, then waved. There was movement in the window that disappeared. She waited and in a few minutes Isaac appeared at the door. He leaned on the frame, his arms folded. "I saw what I wanted," she told him. "Did you enjoy getting to watch me? You're the first to think to do it from somewhere other than standing next to me. Or, rather, did you learn anything?"

Isaac moved out of the door and walked over to join them. "I take it you learned what you wanted to."

"Of course I did. I also enjoyed it extremely. Thank you."

He gave her a strange look. "You're welcome, I guess. Are you going to take over now?"

Purrcy laughed. "Of course not. I don't want your job any more than you do, and less. At least I get to fly when it becomes a bother - mostly." Her whiskers went down at that, but not for long. "I like you Isaac. If I leave Log Horizon, I'll come hang out here. Just to annoy you."

Isaac scowled at her. "I don't need a little sister."

"Of course you do. You like having the little brother around, too." She winked at him. He looked away, not able to deny it. "Actually, that's why you make a good Guildmaster," she said seriously. She tipped her head at him. "Sometime, let's do tea, or lunch, or climb a tree, or small mountain together. I liked how you rolled in the Maze of Eternity, too, but I'm not party level material yet, not really. After Rieze is done with me I might be."

Isaac returned her look. "I'll think about it."

Purrcy nodded. "Good enough," she said. "We'll see you 'round. I'll let your interesting brief break end and you can get back to being bored and irritated again." She turned away with a wave.

Isaac growled at her. "You can't leave. I haven't had _my_ fun yet."

"Yes, I can. You're the one that decided to let me wander without you." She grinned over her shoulder and walked off with a swish of her tail. Isaac stood there only slightly fuming. He'd make her sit over tea and talk next time. He'd not really learned much of anything at all, and he didn't want to admit having everyone spy on her for him had been fun. The only thing he might be able to say in summary was that she was like Shiroe - but he already knew that.

-:-:-:-:-

"Well, we're done early. Shall we go to the shipyard, then?" Purrcy asked pleasantly. "I think we can fit that in. I have questions to ask, but don't need details, so it shouldn't be too bad."

Tetorō and Nyanta looked at each other. Nyanta nodded. "Okay," Tetorō said, "but we stop by the canteen on the way. It's a hike to get to the river."

"Okay," Purrcy replied. "Oh, if it's outside, can I change? And run?"

Tetorō sighed. "I can't keep up."

"Oh," Purrcy calmed down for him. "I don't want to leave you behind."

"How about mew change, and run circles around us?" Nyanta suggested.

She lit back up. "Okay. The hidden ones and I can play tag within the safe radius. When I've tagged everyone, game's over and I win." She paused. "And no netting!" She got positive response on that requirement.

On the way out of the city, which was it's own hike from where the Knights of the Black Sword's guild hall was, Schedules and Records traded out with Michael and Gareth, and Isuzu was given a reprieve to do her own tasks, with Purrcy's thanks.

When they were outside the city, she immediately changed and was gone into the trees along the path they were on. It was a pleasant diversion to get exercise and Purrcy won with enough time to return and walk next to Nyanta and Tetorō as cat until she recovered, her tail waving pleasantly. She demanded to be pet by both once she recovered, then wove her way around the four she had left with them asking for pets from them, too, Training laughed at her, but Charlie and Gareth were both happy to get the opportunity for once. Michael tolerated having to pet her, then aimed a kick at her and she happily dodged it, her tongue sticking out of the side of her mouth at him. "What are you today? A dog?" he asked her.

"Woof," she answered. "So what did you two learn yesterday, brief summary, since I didn't read it since we missed the trip to the Guild Hall. Or should I just make the sailor answer my questions when we get there...no...I want to watch him. Just let me learn it. We'll sum up together tomorrow."

Michael put his hands behind his back and started humming randomly. When he leaped to grab her, she almost didn't get away, his reaching hand raking down her side. Purrcy slid on the pathway as she landed from the sideways jump, her hair on end slightly. Her tail swished at him, but her ears were still focused on him. She was watching him closely. Michael carefully looked, without moving, at Nyanta and Tetorō. Tetorō stepped back. Nyanta nodded, and also took one step back. The rest moved until the two were encircled. Purrcy slowly dropped lower to the ground and shifted just slightly, full panther. Slowly she moved one front paw forward. Michael was suddenly winged. As Purrcy leaped forward to snatch him, he was up in the air with a powerful stroke. She watched him rise, curling around herself with small careful steps to keep him in view.

Michael pulled a baton out of his weapon's cache, then headed in for Purrcy. She shrank back, her weight more on the back paws. At the last moment she leaped left, then sprang off the ground to snatch at the wrist holding the baton. Michael's arm immediately flipped out of her range and returned to swing the baton at the back of her head in an inward stroke. She relaxed and dropped quickly, lowering her head. As soon as she'd landed she rolled a double roll away from him to her right. Her ears were back this time, but not flat on her head. "Forgot you had practice before you got here." It was almost growled. Michael's grin was skeletal. The light of intelligence - or rather that of Purrcy - in her eyes disappeared and Michael was facing a wild panther full on. He pulled up and considered her with more wariness.

The rest of the fight was animalistic and brutal, though not damaging in the fullest sense it could have been. When the truce was called, Michael had lost a number of feathers to tooth and claw and Purrcy had a minor limp on her left rear leg and front right from the thumps that had been applied to prevent those same implements of natural destruction from tearing pieces out of his more tender flesh.

Purrcy backed up slowly, her tail low and under her out of her way, until she was backed up to Nyanta's legs. When she had that physical contact, she carefully lay down on the ground, her head up to continue to watch Michael. When she was settled, he slowly settled to the ground himself, wincing when his weight went down on an ankle that had been slammed into by a heavy shoulder. He put away the baton first and Purrcy relaxed a little more. He put away the wings after brushing out some of the bent feathers on the worst side and folded his arms.

Purrcy's ears came back up and she relaxed enough to be Purrcy again, though there was still a little wariness left over. "Interesting," she said. "I hope I don't have to fight you for real."

"What would you do if you did?" he asked her, also still slightly wary.

"Run." An ear twitched. "Then hide. But then that's what I do first anyway."

Michael looked at her a moment, the nodded. "And if you were cornered?"

"Really fight until either you were dead or I was. What other option does a cornered creature have?" She sounded a bit sad.

"You wouldn't code?" he asked surprised.

"What time did I have for that?" she asked him.

"You let the natural cat rule. So you could have the whole time," he answered, confused.

She shook her head. "No this kind of battle takes complete focus. I do the coding on the run and while hiding. Once full battle's started that's all there is. After all, ..." she tipped her head at him, "that's what natural fighting is."

"Ooooh," he nodded slowly. "Okay." He relaxed. "We're okay, then?"

Purrcy rose to her feet and shook herself out. "Yeah. Thanks for the beating. I'm calmer now. Your ankle okay enough to walk yet?"

Tetorō jumped and cast healing spells on both of them. "That was rather violent," he commented when he was done.

"Yeah," Michael said and Purrcy nodded.

Purrcy looked up at Nyanta and he reached down and pet her briefly. She sighed, then transformed back into felinoid, wearing what was probably supposed to be a sea-faring outfit but looked more like a 1920's Amelia Earhart outfit, with a scarf, leather jacket, and tight pants.

"No!" Michael and Nyanta said at the same time and Tetorō had her in a headlock. Purrcy tensed and almost killed Tetorō, then relaxed completely and relented, but the twitch she gave next made Nyanta attack her with a quick head chop. "No!" he repeated. "Clothing _is_ required. Just nyot that."

"But I don't have anything else to wear it for," she pouted. Tetorō let her go carefully, having been reminded almost too late by her brief tension she'd just been fighting and was still triggered. She was thoughtful, then finally changed to jeans, a blue and white striped sweater, and a sailor's cap.

"Better," Tetorō approved, "though your color sense still needs a lot of help. That does not go with your coloring." She tossed her head at him and started them moving again.


	24. Inspecting the Technology

The Akiba shipyard was just east of Akiba on what was the Sumida River in Japan. The river was the closest access-way to the Tokyo Bay. The shipyard was bustling with engineers, technicians and Technicians, and naval personnel. The guards around Purrcy, Michael included, were suddenly more relaxed. This was normal home for them, though this kind of approach usually meant they were arriving to work and the next long stint off-States-side. The smell of the water had been getting stronger as they walked and now the sounds of it rushing past were being added to the other noises of construction and people calling to each other around them.

Purrcy's eyes were completely overwhelmed with viewing the large Ocypete, the steamship run by waterwheel and built by joint effort of Roderick Trading Company, Grandale, and Marine Organization. Tetorō headed for the small section of food vendors to pick up a snack for them. Purrcy absently took the food he handed her and slowly moved it to her mouth, then paused and looked down at it. "What's this, Tetorō?" she asked.

He smiled at her. "The Yamato equivalent of grilled octopus in eel sauce. Takoyaki. The best walking snack food of Japan."

Purrcy handed it back. "Bring me eel in eel sauce and I'll eat it. I've never been fond of eating rubber."

He frowned at her sadly. "That's rather rude, Purrcy," he protested.

"It's wasted on me. Please eat mine," she insisted but more politely. "I might be willing to try dango, but I'm a little concerned about that one, too."

"Mochi?" Nyanta asked.

Purrcy shuddered. "Please...don't ask Americans to eat slime. It's one of the worst textures to us."

"Sushi?"

"Love it, but leave off the wasabi and the tamago for me personally."

"Really? You don't like the tamago?" Michael asked.

"No. Pressed crunchy fish eggs are almost as bad a problem for me on the other end of the scale from mochi. I'm a texture eater - in the main." Purrcy answered. "White tuna, salmon, tuna if it's good enough, those are my favorites. Sushi, sashimi, or rolls, any of them are good. I love tempura fried meat on a roll with eel sauce and only a whisper of spicy mayo. That crunch I can do." She sniffed the air and let her nose lead her to a food she did like and purchased it, having made herself hungry.

When she returned, the rest were about done with their takoyaki. "Has anyone figured out how to make the cabbage pancakes...okaynamiyaki?"

"Okonomiyaki," Nyanta said it slower and more clearly. She repeated it until she had it. "Good. Yes, I make it occasionally. Do mew like it?"

"Occasionally," she answered. "It's very filling." They made her sit until she was done eating her snack, then they let her up and Michael and Gareth led her to the main shipyard office, having been there the day before.

"Purrcy, this is Iante, Manager of the Transportation Department of Marine Organization," Michael introduced her to the head of the shipyard when they arrived at the shipyard offices.

Purrcy and Iante bowed to each other in greeting. "It's a pleasure to greet you," Purrcy said politely.

"Thank you very much," Iante said.

"I'm sorry for troubling you," Purrcy continued. "I was hoping to understand how far the shipbuilding research has gotten and how the newest sub-classes have helped the shipyard."

They spent the next forty-five minutes getting a tour and having her questions answered. There wasn't really much to see. There was the Ocypete, which Iante took her onto and showed her around. There was also one other ship under construction and he answered her other questions as they stood outside it, so he could point out salient practical applications of newer technologies from the Technologists.

She asked questions based on her understanding of the monsters of the sea and whether or not Iante thought it would be able to withstand attacks by the sea monsters as well as ocean weather. How far it could go under power before needing further refueling was another issue. Given that they used salamanders as heat power for the steam engines, it only mattered that each ship have enough Summoners, or available salamanders to keep it running. Fuel wasn't considered an issue, though perhaps feeding the salamanders might be.

When the tour was finished, and Purrcy had properly thanked Iante, Michael took her into the back offices until he knocked on a specific door. They were called in and he opened the door. "Christian, I've brought the person I told you about yesterday. This is Purrcy."

A weathered Person of the Land jumped up and snatched a knitted cap off his head, his greying hair standing out on end because of it. He bowed to Purrcy. "Ma'am, it's a pleasure to meet you," he said.

Purrcy raised eye whiskers at Michael slightly. Michael bowed to her, a small formal bow. "Christian Gladwin is the star navigator sent for by Shiroe. We had a long and pleasant conversation with him yesterday, Gareth and I."

Purrcy kept her demeanor pleasant and polite. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mister Gladwin," she said. He turned his cap slightly in his hands, not quite looking at her. "Commander Michael and Gareth are the most knowledgeable Adventurers that I know as far as being able to navigate goes. I'm glad you're willing to teach them what you know."

"I'm glad to pass it on to those who are interested and willing to learn it. Even among the People of the Land there aren't too many willing, given the difficulty of sea navigation." Christian admitted. "Please, won't you sit down?" he gestured to the chairs around the table he had been working at.

Purrcy moved to sit in one of the chairs, but carefully not the one he had been sitting in. Michael sat down next to her. Gareth and Nyanta sat in chairs on the opposite side of the table and Tetorō stood behind Purrcy. When the others had settled around the room and at the door, Purrcy made a small motion to Christian to sit as he was looking uncertain. He bobbed his head slightly and sat as well in the chair they'd left him.

"First of all, Mister Gladwin, will you tell me how far out from the shore you've gone at the farthest, and in which directions?" She looked at the papers on the table and pulled out one that was a general navigational chart of the seas around Yamato.

Christian cleared his throat. Pointing to the map, on the westward side of the southern island of Yamato that was the equivalent to Kyushu Island, he said, "I've gone out three days by sail, carefully through. There's a passage that has no sea monsters to that point. I turned when I saw there was one in the way then, but was unable to find a route around it. In a ship of People of the Land, and only large enough for eight of us, we couldn't continue past it." He gestured to the outdoors where the Ocypete was docked. "The Adventurer ships would pass through easily and in less time, but I don't know what's beyond that point."

Purrcy looked at Michael. "How long to get to China? I think we're at about three-quarters Gaia now."

Michael had just a spark of humor in his eyes. "Purrcy, you are an infant in this."

Purrcy was openly humble. "Yes, Michael, I am. Please teach me."

He pointed to the map. "I'll speak to our Japan, rather than Yamato to be simple for you." Purrcy nodded. "Here is Tokyo, on Honshu." He pointed out the bay on the central eastern side of the main island. "If we were in a Person of the Land boat, we would travel along the islands along their south edge, likely stopping at Nagoya, then cross to Shikoku and stop either at Tokushima, or a little farther south at Tachibana Port. Next, we would continue following south of Shikoku and over to Kyushu and the city of Miyazaki. If instead we go farther without provisioning, we would go to the southern bay and city of Kagoshima."

"From there we go directly west to Shanghai, China. That would be roughly 220 miles the first leg, 200 the second, and 300 if we went to Kagoshima, 200 if we stopped earlier on Kyushu. The final leg to China is nearly 400 miles. That's at three-quarters Gaia. A large, fast steamship from the 1800's could travel 3000 miles in about 6 days at full speed. The Ocypete hasn't traveled full out ocean speeds yet, but we won't travel even half that distance. Without stopping from here we would be there in less than three days. It will only take about 23 hours to get from Kyushu to Shanghai, perhaps less."

Michael stopped, still smiling slightly at Purrcy's alertly surprised expression. "It isn't the time that's the problem, it's knowing we'll land where we're supposed to land when we get there. We need the navigational charts so that we know we're close, at least." He shifted and drew a breath. "Of course, since we'll be traveling as explorers we can land anywhere by skiff and ask the locals where we are, and go up or down the coast as needed until we're where we need to be." Michael smiled at Christian. "Christian and his crew had only to go around the sea monster and travel a few more hours, half a day at most, and they would have arrived on the coast. Likely that's why they found it difficult to get through. We know almost all the monsters from _Elder Tales_ were set to be near the coast lines so that Adventurers could take quests on local boats to remove them." Christian's eyes went wide to think he'd been that close to finding land again.

"Using full size Earth distances, if we travel directly across the Athirds - that is, the Pacific - it would take us between eighteen and twenty days to get to the west coast of the United States depending on currents. About twice that or more if we stay close to the coastlines. It's about forty days to Great Britain if they left the Suez Canal in _Elder Tales_ , though there's sure to be pirates along the way. From Great Britain to Boston is about six days. If the Panama Canal is open, it's about ten days from the east coast to the west coast. It's more like three months if we have to go around the south tip of South America, with provisioning stops."

Purrcy was silent for a long time. Then she softly said, "Oh. ...The world seems so much bigger than that."

Michael nodded kindly. "It does, but that's because we are used to walking and having to stop for the night."

Purrcy drew a deep breath. "Well...that's much better, to know it isn't quite so daunting a proposition, though the sea monsters will be a bit of a pain. ...So even if we made stops in all the countries along the way by ship, we still would only be out at most a year, and most of that would be the stopping."

"That's correct," Michael affirmed.

Purrcy looked down at the charts and maps on the table. "Do you have to know to get there the first time? I presume that since we know what the world looks like, you would only have to understand the basics of what the stars look like and where they dance in the sky, then believe you are Christopher Columbus and be a world explorer, as you suggested for reaching the China coast."

Michael's eyes were sparkling now. "You have the right of it. If we went counter-clockwise, we would want to stay north of the equator as much as possible, so as to not have to go the wide girth of the planet on the trip over the Athirds. Usually travel by ship has always gone the other direction around the globe when it's being circumnavigated because it's actually faster by a margin, due to current, wind, and other factors."

Purrcy turned and looked at Gareth. "You also understand all of this easily?"

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered.

Purrcy looked at the navigator, pursing her lips and calculating. "You'll come with us, Mister Gladwin. They know where we want to go and you know how to help them get there. We can't plan the travel route until we're done in China, so I can't leave you here."

Purrcy looked back at Michael. "I'm sure we'll also be able to pick up knowledgeable seafaring people on the way, particularly from the Pacific Islands. We can hop down to Hong Kong, then along the islands to Australia, then towards India and westward." She sat back and closed her eyes, crossing her arms. "The hardest part is getting into China, Mongolia, and Russia. Crossing all of Africa, and South America will also be complex, though they had fewer servers and slightly fewer gates." She considered things, then sat up and shook her head. "I really don't know yet what the solution for that is - the Transportation Department and getting to all the gates, or all the major servers either. We probably don't have to do all the repairs ourselves, just communicate with those who need to and haven't figured it out yet. Sales, though...."

Purrcy chewed on her lip for a bit then sighed and looked around at the group of people at the table. "I think I've heard what I need to hear, then. Michael, Gareth, please continue to come here and learn from Mister Gladwin until you're satisfied with your education. I'll leave the detailed travel planning to the three of you." She rose from her chair and the rest did as well. She held out her hand to Christian, who took her's uncertainly. "Thank you very much, Mister Gladwin, for sharing your knowledge with us. Please let Michael know what you might need in exchange and we'll see to it."

Christian got a bit of an uncomfortable look on his face, but he only bowed over her hand and said, "Yes, Lady Purrcy. Thank you."

-:-:-:-:-

"Shiroe," Purrcy said at the dinner table, "I think we'll have time for the Yamato progress before we go to China, if you want to have one. It can be part of the journey there, perhaps." Shiroe looked up in a bit of surprise at her, then nodded and went back to his eating, though more thoughtful as he considered it.

"And we'll be able to take more cargo than I thought, though we should plan on purchasing more foodstuffs as we go." Her ears wiggled unhappily. "I wish I had the last piece of the puzzle, but it isn't likely to come for some time yet." She frowned. "I wonder if it's in China and that's the other reason we have to go." She considered that a moment longer then sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She obviously wasn't going to get the answer here and this evening.

"I think we'll get D.D.D. and Knights of the Round Table, but Honesty will stay home. Ains doesn't like me and I'm not sure he trusts you either. He'll vote against it on principle, I expect. ...Unless he decides to send watchdogs, which would be fine I suppose, if you don't mind the possibility of traitors who believe they are patriots in the midst of the group. You might not want Ains to be the only fighting guildmaster left here, though. He might need someone to balance his opinions. Even though Isaac is bored and I like him, Crusty's more bored. Of course, you could send Crusty back to do the job he's not been doing and let Isaac out to play...but only you know if Crusty would be the proper balance point for Ains or not, since he hasn't been here to know what's going on."

She tapped her lips with her fork. "I would like Calasin to come. If we have to split and do both land and sea travel, I'd send him by land to set up the trade routes, but maybe he has someone he trusts that he'd rather send so he can stay here and manage things. The others of the corporation board can stay or go as they wish."

"Are you expecting me to come on the long trip?" Shiroe asked calmly.

"No. You could bring Crusty back here and potentially let me take one of Isaac or Rieze on the ship while the other goes with the train. I think I'm going to call the others like us to meet me at the port cities for negotiation and friend-listing. I would think that if I travel all that way by ship, they can travel the lesser distance by land to meet me."

Shiroe nodded. "And how will I get on those lists, then?" he asked.

Michael stood up from the table and walked over to the pile of wedding presents under the tree. He dug around until he found a flat envelope. Walking back to the table he handed it to Purrcy. "Congratulations on your wedding. I hope you will find these an acceptable gift."

Purrcy raised eyebrow whiskers at him. "Thank you, Michael." She took the envelope from him and opened it after glancing at Nyanta. Reaching in with her fingers, she pulled out two sheets of paper. On one of them was a color painting of Shiroe, on the other was a color painting of Purrcy. She studied them closely, then handed the one of her to Shiroe. "Here," she said still distracted, "that's yours." She looked up at Michael. "They're well done and the magic is well formed as well. It will be interesting to see if they can still work when we're halfway around the world. I'm sure they will at least at the quarter distances."

"Well, I tried for the intent of worldwide," Michael said. "Shiroe gave me ingredients to add and his best paper, so it hopefully will."

"Thank you, Michael, and Shiroe." She slipped the picture of Shiroe in her hand back into the envelope and it disappeared as she put it in her item list. "Did you test it?"

Michael nodded. "Shiroe's worked fine." He hesitated. "You were still on the moon so that distance didn't work."

Purrcy's lip twitched up, but she didn't say anything to it. Michael handed Nyanta a small box. "This is more for you than her," he said. "Not that you really need it."

Nyanta opened it carefully. Inside were two cameo pictures, also color, one of Purrcy and one of Nyanta himself. They were about two and a half inches tall and one and a half inches wide and on thin ceramic disks. "They do the same thing as the larger pictures do, but not at world distances, not really. Maybe more like one-quarter world distance. Another way to communicate never hurts, nor does having a picture of the one you love." He looked at Nyanta soberly.

"Thank mew, Michael-nyan," Nyanta said. "It is a kind gift."

He handed the box to Purrcy who looked at the pictures closely. "Thank you, Michael," she echoed. "You have a delicate hand. They're beautiful works of art." She closed the box and handed it back to Nyanta, who put it in his item list.

Michael nodded. "Glad you like them. Hope they'll be of use if needed." He nodded at them and walked back to his seat.

They went around the room giving their summary reports for the day as usual at the end of dinner. When it reached Shiroe at the end, he cleared his throat. "Li Gan came by to visit just before lunch." The room stopped and stared at him, then eyes flicked to Purrcy. "He gave me a summary report of his latest research and the work he's been doing in Shibuya on the radio tower. Of course, a summary visit takes about four hours, so we had to postpone the guild date." He tried not to roll his eyes, but others in the room didn't feel so inhibited.

"At the end of that report he happened to mention that the latest assistants we'd sent him were much more useful, even to the point of making him feel a little not needed, at least for a bit, so he thought he'd take a break, catch up, and see what this interesting teacher named Purrcy was like, since she'd been mentioned by the new assistants. He did also ask me what had happened here three and a half months ago, with the creation of the Justice of the East. I told him that I had a meeting, but perhaps he could come back tomorrow evening after dinner and we might be able to chat a bit then. Akatsuki was kind enough to see he made it to the door after that." Akatsuki had such a scowl on her face it was rather apparent that seeing Li Gan out the door had been a pleasure. She was upset at having to postpone her date - yet again.

Shiroe's sharp gaze went to Purrcy. "Do try to stay out of his sight until he comes tomorrow night. He might come looking for you at the gate, considering that's another of his projects. If he's there try not to get him interested in talking to you. He won't stop and you won't get anything useful done."

"Okay, Guildmaster Shiroe." Purrcy looked down the table to Michael. "Perhaps we should set up a cordon until I'm done talking to the gate technicians. At the very least I should be alerted ahead of time he's on his way so I can disappear."

"Yes, ma'am," Michael said. Reed would take care of it.

-:-:-:-:-

Opening wedding presents was fun. Minori kept a running list of who had sent what and willingly took on the task to get thank you notes written. The newlyweds would sign them before she sent them on. Of course she and the other members of the guild got their thanks as hugs right away. As Minori, Isuzu, and Purrcy carried the gifts to Nyanta and Purrcy's room, Naotsugu sat back in the couch. "That was better, today. She stayed awake this time, and seemed to enjoy herself as well. Try to keep it that way." His eyes pinned Nyanta and Tetorō.

"Yessir," Tetorō gave a jaunty salute.

"Being able to run this afternoon helped her, meow." Nyanta seemed a bit more relaxed this evening as well, though he still had some tension to him.

Naotsugu considered him. "See that you run next time, too, and get some of that out. If it's a problem, then you should come with me and the kiddos tomorrow for a short stint outside whacking at things. You've been as on-guard and stressed out as she has."

Nyanta's ear turned in surprise, but he considered it then nodded. "I'd like to see what the new rapiers can do."

"I'll go with her, then," Michael stated.

"Actually," Shiroe straightened a bit and pushed up his glasses. "I think I'd like to go. Akatsuki also could use the break to go out hunting with you guys, too. I've kept her cooped up with me long enough. I'd like to hear the technical details on the gate, and we could segue into the discussion on the details for the meeting for the following day." He turned to Akatsuki. "Let's do a date just the two of us after the meeting in two days. I'll be able to relax and focus on just you, that way." Akatsuki went from looking uncomfortable to blushing and nodded a brief nod of embarrassed acceptance.

"He just wants to be able to escape Li Gan until tomorrow night, too," Naotsugu snorted. Shiroe threw his friend a dark look.

"Well, then, what would you prefer I do?" Michael asked.

Shiroe paused, contemplating Michael. He finally said, "I think that you could consider tomorrow your day off and do whatever you please. You've also been on watch many days now."

Michael gave him a look. "I didn't sit with you today for you to look _that_ deeply into my soul."

Shiroe shrugged. "Take it anyway."

"Fine," Michael folded his arms, "but I won't be far if you need me." Shiroe nodded. They all noticed Nyanta relax ever so slightly. He most certainly needed a day off from all his worries. "And I'm going to split the R&R with Tetorō. He's been on duty as much as I have."

"Commander," came from behind them. Michael turned to look at his second in command. "Let me take Tetorō's spot tomorrow. I could use the gate education along with the Maintenance detail. That way you can both have the full day off. I'll put the Intelligence detail on background watch, along with Safety."

Akatsuki turned to Shiroe with her eyes lit up. She nodded emphatically. "If the Intelligence detail is watching over you, then I won't worry." Shiroe tipped his head at her. "They're the Assassins." Everyone who'd seen the demonstration understood her approval for the assignment. Shiroe looked at Michael and nodded.

"Roger," Michael said briefly to Reed. He looked at Tetorō, "You have to take a break. No following after her in the code realm."

Tetorō blinked, then slumped, relenting. They almost expected to see him glow again. Even he had been extremely tense from all of his efforts since before the time of the festival. "She may still need me to take notes in the afternoon, though," he cautioned.

Michael shook his head. "We can trade out Maintenance with Operations again. They've been in the loop enough now, and they're used to that kind of work, too. Plus she may have questions for them as she reviews the notes. It'll work out okay. They can fill you in after you get back and are ready to get back into it." That arrangement worked for Tetorō, and they went with it.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy lay on her side of the futon unrolled on the tatami mat floor. She waited until Nyanta was snoring his light snores, then changed from felinoid to house cat. She stayed buried under the covers, just the tip of her nose sticking out. On her neck, the collar's gems went through the rainbow from the normal night greenish indigo to a yellow orange, the light hidden from the room by the blanket. She was sad about not obeying Nyanta's wishes and Tetorō's orders, but even more she wanted to rid herself of the dark deep ache that ate at her heart and soul. She had never wanted to come to Theldesia just to feel like she was still trapped on Earth.

The next morning, Purrcy woke late to an empty bed. In the summer they hadn't really bothered with bedding much at all, a tatami floor being comfortable enough for cats and felinoid alike. Now that it was entering late fall, the cold night air seeped into the flooring like any flooring, and like any cats, they preferred warmth. It was rather habit for them both that if you were going to be in a bed, you had covers over the top as well. She'd partially missed the wake up because she was too warm. Now she stretched, shook herself, and transformed back to felinoid long enough to get the futon rolled up, put away, and take her turn in the bathroom.

She padded out of the bathroom as large cat and lept up on the couch. She curled up in Naotsugu's spot, back to the room. The only noise in the room was the sound of Nyanta working on breakfast leaking out of the kitchen. A short while later Touya and Minori passed by her on the way to the kitchen. She only partially registered them asking Nyanta where she was and his answer that he'd let her sleep in.

At some point the number of people in the central area became more than her tolerance level could handle - or maybe it was being stared at by someone too long - and she rose, jumped over the back of the couch, and scrambled up the tree to go lay out on a branch looking over the city, her nose to the cool wind, her eyes closed to the regular structures of the inner city. Breakfast was finally called. She took her time, not going down until she was ready. Then she took the trunk slowly and stopped after the final leap off. She sat upright and curled her tail formally over her front paws, but she wasn't looking at the room, nor was she waiting to be addressed. She was merely waiting.

Through the normal quiet conversations at the morning table, Michael's voice said, "Tetorō," in an informationally warning way. A few seconds later the one addressed was quietly casting a healing spell. When the silent battle going on inside Purrcy was completed, Purrcy, on her own terms, moved to walk to the table. She changed as she neared the table, wearing warm leggings of burgundy and the fall dress she'd worn to the bachelorette party. As she sat gracefully to her corner of the table between Nyanta and Shiroe, Shiroe asked, "All right, Purrcy?"

She calmly answered, "Reminding the Superuser it's supposed to be observing, not interfering with experimentation." Nyanta's cool, calm posture matched hers equally.

As she picked up her chopsticks, Shiroe shifted. She looked up into his sharp eyes and calmly let him judge her. When he was satisfied with whatever he saw, he nodded. "I'll watch for it today." Purrcy flicked an ear of acceptance and started in on her breakfast.

-:-:-:-:-

The area around the gate was busy with people climbing, notating, and scratching heads. Purrcy was surprised to see they'd actually taken it apart to some degree. "That was brave," she said.

"Mmm, more like desperate," Shiroe answered. "It's been two years after all. Those who are really technicians and engineers finally convinced the Round Table to let them take the cover off so they could see the insides. They're very careful to keep it covered in weather so as to not damage the internals, since that was what worried the guildmasters the most."

Purrcy nodded. The entire gate structure was covered by a large tent. Currently the sides were tied up so there was plenty of light to work by. "At the moment, they're looking a little lost, however," she commented.

Shiroe nodded. He called to one of the men standing at the base of the gate. "MacInod!"

A ritian Druid turned to face the approaching group. "Shiroe!" he answered back and began to move towards them. "To what do we owe a visit today?" he asked as he reached them.

"MacInod, this is Purrcy. Purrcy, this is MacInod, lead engineer of the gate crew." The two greeted each other politely. "Purrcy asked to come to understand where things stand," Shiroe answered the original question.

MacInod looked at her. "You're the one that's the TechnoMage." She nodded. "The Hackers have been useful for understanding some of the basics, but it still hasn't been quite enough. We've actually been wondering if you'd have time to stop by here. Do you want to take a look?"

"I do," she answered. "I'd also like to hear what you've already done and listen to what everyone's decided at this point."

The chief engineer led them back up the steps to stand by the gate. He pointed out the innards of the gate. "It looks like wiring, generally. We can tell it carries magic, not electricity, or at least we think it does. It's not like there's a generator it's plugged into, though. We've been experimenting with both, just to be sure." He pointed to the farther right where there was an interesting box about four feet by three feet by two feet. "That's our electric generator. We had an electrician show up about nine months ago and he's just got it up before the festival but we waited until after to test it. We've been putting the smallest amount possible through the system, though. We don't want to blow circuits or melt wires if it's the wrong juice."

Purrcy nodded. "Have you been able to track the flow? Do you have a voltmeter and the other tools?"

"Yeah, It traced around to the center point and disappeared. He's working up another generator now, thinking we may have to have two, one on either side." MacInod waved a hand in a vague direction. "We worked the magic angle before that." He pointed to another group of people, holding clipboards and arguing. "They managed to get magic into it and see some effect, but it didn't do much. It's harder to measure where it's going and what it's doing, anyway. They're trying to figure out how to test it, like with a voltmeter as you say."

"How much magic did they pour into it, at the maximum?" Purrcy asked.

"Four Sorcerers worth, though they've tried all the magics, just to be sure - healing, and such like. Four for each of them as well. We've gotten the best results from the Sorcerers."

"And the Hackers?" she asked. "What have they discovered?"

MacInod shook his head. "Not much. They say they can see base descriptors. What is it, what it's for, that sort of thing, but not how it's powered. The highest level one with programming experience thinks that it accepts an address of where to go, but that's about as far as he's gotten - oh, and he thinks the one data point he was able to get out of it is the address of itself."

"Can I talk to that one?" Purrcy asked, looking the gate structure over as it rose above them. It was large enough to fit tall cargo wagons and people on horseback. That was good. Any smaller and shipping through the gates would have been exhausting. That assumed that it would stay open a specified time increment. If it only allowed a single entity to pass through, it would be problematic. "Shiroe, will you run down the basic usage of the gates from before?" she asked.

"Sure," he pushed his glasses up on his nose. They both knew that reviewing the details might shake loose something not considered before. "The gates were the nodes used to pass from one Adventurer city to another. They allowed for passage on a single main server, or between main servers, meaning they had to be set up to pass data from one subserver to another, since the subservers handled the data for the descriptors of the zones of the main servers. If I were on the Kyoto subserver of the main Japan server and I wanted to go to a zone in China, I could go to the gate for the local city and tell it I wanted to go to the closest city on the China server to that zone. It would then actually re-route my PC connection to the subserver closest to that zone. Though I might travel all over China, I would remain connected to that subserver until I used a gate to return to the Japan server. Then my PC connection would reroute to another available subserver somewhere in Japan. That's the physical way it worked."

Shiroe shifted. "As far as on-screen went, my character walked up to stand in front of the gate. When I was close enough, I'd get a notification asking if I wanted to use the gate. If I selected 'yes', then I'd get another notification asking what location I wanted to go to. You could enter in the Adventurer city name to be taken directly there, or just the main server name to be taken to a random place in that larger area. I tried entering a specific zone once and it still took me to the closest city's gate that it could determine. Ambiguous zone names got me to random places I might not have been anticipating, but if I specified the entire location name I got the closest possible." He cleared his throat and looked proud of himself, "I did also find the code site that would let me enter in the zone I wanted to get to by it's unique identifier. I think there may have been a programming bug there because that always put me down in that zone directly, rather than at the closest gate."

"Hmm," MacInod looked at him suspiciously, but Purrcy nodded as if she had expected such an result.

"Once I entered where I wanted to go," Shiroe continued for completeness sake, "the area inside the gate would light up and my character would move forward into the gate. The screen would go black for a while, with the standard spinning icon to let me know the computer was working on the request, then the screen would paint the city I wanted to go to in front of me. If I turned around, the gate would be behind me."

"Shiroe," Purrcy asked him, "you have your head of the Debauchery Tea Party on your friend list, right?"

"Hmm, Kanami? Yes."

"And you said she's in China, now, coming from...?"

"Europe is where she and her husband live. She was on the Europe server at the time of the catastrophe, but we talked when she was in China."

"Can you contact her now?" Purrcy looked at him and blinked. "I mean, she's on your friend list. You should be able to talk to her."

Shiroe looked at Purrcy soberly. "No. I've tried since then, and I know Rieze and most of D.D.D. have tried to contact Crusty, from the time he disappeared. They also weren't able to contact him from here."

Purrcy turned and looked at Reed. He shook his head. "I've got buddies in the States who mustered out and play sometimes. A couple were on at the catastrophe. I can't contact them either."

"Then that means the main servers aren't talking to each other," she said. "The computer links aren't functional. But we can still talk to each other within the individual main servers. At least I think so. Did you try to talk to Michael when he was in Minami?"

Shiroe shook his head. "But I spoke with Kazuhiko and KR just fine, and I contact William up in Susukino regularly."

"That's good. That means the Maze of Eternity is still effectively the main Japan server, then." Purrcy held her chin between her finger and thumb, thinking. "If we can get the gates working even minimally, we'll be able to use them within the server group." She looked up at a male human who had come up to stand with them.

"Purrcy, this is --"

"Davidius. Hello. It's good to see you again." Purrcy interrupted.

"Likewise, Sensei," he greeted her with a slight bow.

"Will you take me inside and show me what you've uncovered so far?" Purrcy asked her former student from the first Hacker class.

"Certainly." They both mentally disappeared from the outside world for a while. A number of the guards around them went along for the demonstration.

QA returned a few minutes later briefly with a report. "She going deeper into the code than the rest of us can follow, now that Davidius has shown us what he uncovered."

Shiroe's eyes were on the collar. It had yellowed up just a bit moments before the report. He nodded. "Call Michael and have him keep watch on her while she's in there, then he can go back to relaxing, when she's back out." Reed took care of passing the message on. QA went and found him in the code realm to lead him to where they all were waiting for her and he walked her trail to watch over her. QA returned to report to Shiroe and Reed and they waited for her investigation to be completed.

Purrcy shook herself out, blinking her eyes, then smacking her lips and tongue a bit until she was fully back into her body. The lights on her collar relaxed back to the yellow-green they were supposed to be. With a sigh, she relaxed. "Well...not as promising as I hoped, but about what you'd expect," she said as her summary. "I copied the code over to Davidius so he can analyze it." Davidius was trying to come back out of the code realm as well now, taking a deep breath and rubbing his head to come out of it. The guards were also coming out to the open world as well. Reed looked at Clocktower and Life Support. They both nodded. They'd gotten copies of the code as well.

"Can we have an all hands conference briefly?" Purrcy asked MacInod.

With a terse nod, he turned and called to all the engineers and Hackers. They gathered around the base of the gate, at the bottom of the stairs. Davidius and the guards moved down to stand on the stairs. "Everyone, this is Purrcy," MacInod said loudly. "She's come to look things over and just looked at the deeper code for the gate, giving a copy of it to Davidius. She has some things she'd like to say."

There were expectant murmurs from the listening crowd as MacInod moved to stand back a bit, level with Shiroe and Reed who had stayed up on the gate platform with Purrcy. "Hello everyone," Purrcy said, her voice slightly amplified. "All of you have been working very hard to determine a thing that isn't easy. It looks like you're close, though. MacInod says that with a second generator, you'll be able to tell if it takes two inputs to power. I'm sure with experimentation, you'll get to understanding how it all works. What are the suggestions for telling if and how the magic is going through the wiring?"

A few were called out. She nodded. "My solution, being a Hacker, would be to put a tracer on the magic and watch it visually. I assume you're planning on trying a combination magic and electrical power once the second generator is up?" She got nods. "Good." She bit her lip a little, thinking. "It's my guess...this being one of the bigger bonuses for this world from our game, it's likely to be a massively difficult thing to do...that it will be magic, not electrical in the end, and it will take a massive amount of it each time. Though...it would be nice if the electrical would work since that kind of cost on the personnel isn't as bad. It's going to end up being something highly expensive to do - the sort of thing only corporations and the very wealthy will be able to afford. After all, not many magic users want to be wasted on opening a gate, and it may take up to ten, five on each side."

She sighed and waved a hand. "Ah, sorry to rain on the parade. It's just experience talking. I suppose the other side of that is once we've got enough magic users over level one hundred twenty-five the numbers needed will drop, but those are expensive people too, on the other side." There were nods of agreement to that. If you worked that hard, you weren't going to really want to waste the levels on just opening gates without a high compensation.

"As far as the underlying code goes, I'm not sure it's going to be all that helpful. There's the graphical representation, which is hardly helpful in this world, and code pointing to things that return 'null'. We're not interested in sending people into null space." There was firm agreement to that. "But if we can get it powered up enough to do it like we did it from the computer screen - to tell it where we want to go, or an object to go, and it goes properly - then we'll have done it like we do our internal Adventurer user screens we use now."

"From what we've analyzed from repairing the main server node, we should be able to gate around Yamato for sure if we can get them working at all. The connections between the main servers isn't working yet, though. Since the central point of contact is the moon, it's possible transport between main servers may have to happen on moon time, and only when both servers are in the moon arc. That means we'll have to world hop, and I'm not sure if there's a close enough connection between China and the next one east. Same for the west coast of the U.S. and here. That may be too wide an arc. Someone who knows moon schedules and math will have to calculate that. I don't know it."

She looked around at the group. "I'd like it if we could get it working before the winter festival in Minami. If we could get them up around that time as well and run some tests, that would be wonderful. China would be the next test after that, if the math can get worked out. Comments? Rebuttals? Questions?"

There was about twenty minutes of discussion in the group, and then Purrcy let MacInod wrap it up after letting them know she'd be available if they needed her. She let MacInod know she'd probably stop by again and asked if she could be invited to watch when the next electrical test was going to happen, thinking it might help to watch it functioning even to that level. When she'd received a promise, they said their farewells and headed for the Guild Hall in the center of town.

"Did you have anything else you wanted to add, Guildmaster Shiroe?" Purrcy asked on the way.

"No, not really. You covered the points, I think, and everyone had about the same comments and questions I did. Hopefully they'll have a little more to work on now rather than just be discouraged. It took a long time for them to come up with the generator."

Purrcy nodded. "I would think so. We can speak in this world, so the radio waves from the communications towers still works, but powering it was the difficult part?"

Shiroe nodded. "We used a magic power generator that Li Gan put together from schematics in one of his many books, but it barely created enough power to get what little we did out of it. They're going to try one of the electrical generators next, but it's still on it's way to Shibuya."

"I would think that would work a lot better, given that the tower was originally created to use electricity." Purrcy stopped. "Well, on Earth it was anyway..." She sighed. "The experiments to see which works better, and if they'll work together, is rather important. Do we know when the gates were created? Did they come with us at the time of the catastrophe? Or were they from the time before the First World Fraction?"

"For sure from the Second World Fraction, when Adventurers first came to Theldesia. That was the open beta," Shiroe answered.

"Well, then, it could be powered by magic exclusively, then. That would be disappointing, most likely. Electricity is so much more useful when it comes to such things. Of course, the gate might take an awful lot of that, too. We might have to run an entire dam's worth of current just to open it once."

"That's rather a lot of gigawatts," Reed commented. Purrcy nodded.

"And as far as the code goes," Purrcy continued, "the data Davidius pulled out does look like the local gate address. The next layer down accepts several inputs, and I suppose we would all expect them to be the gate addresses of where we're going to. It wouldn't surprise me if we had to put in the gate address of where we're coming from as well, and the personal data of the person or persons requested to be transported as well."

"It would be disappointing if we couldn't pass wagons through, so if we're lucky one of the numbers is how many things are being transported through. While the calculations may not be as difficult as for the fairy rings, the transportation data may be just as tricky to figure out, so I don't think that's the way to go. Trying to get them to work naturally would be much better."

She looked at Shiroe soberly. "If we can't get it to work naturally, I'm afraid it means that when the world goes 'real', they'll just be completely nonfunctional pieces of odd artwork." It wasn't good news, but Shiroe wasn't very surprised, really. He agreed it was a high level item that was going to be very expensive to use one way or the other. Having the World AI decide they were overpowered for this world's level would be rather par for the course.


	25. Li Gan Comes to Call

Shiroe's group stopped at the food court in the center of town on the way in. Purrcy was rather chatty just generally until the food arrived. The rest were rather glad she was both relaxed, and then quiet as food went in, taking the place of words out. When she got going, the ears could bleed a little, though if they didn't feel like talking, it did fill the space. The Maintenance detail of the squadron rose to leave halfway through lunch and the Operations detail appeared to eat a quick lunch themselves. The 'hidden' six were eating, too, just not quite so visibly with the rest of them.

As Maintenance moved to leave, Purrcy waved Clocktower over. "You need to come with us. I still haven't asked you all my questions yet."

"Yes, Ma'am," he answered, trying not to sigh. Most of the time they worked half-days. He'd be on full this one and looked like he hoped he'd get a full day off for the next one.

"Gareth, you don't have to come," Purrcy said as he walked past with his food for the table. "I'd rather you spent the time at the shipyard, honestly, though Shiroe might want you on call."

"Yes, Ma'am," he gave the same response, though his look was alternating between relief and disappointment. They both looked to Reed who looked to Shiroe. Purrcy pretended not to see the communication chain. Instead she called up Nyanta and conversed with him over his lunch to briefly check in with him. She wanted to make sure he knew that she was still fine and being good. She knew Tetorō would want to know, too.

When they arrived at the Guild Hall office, Shiroe looked around the antechamber. "Well, it's different," he said.

Purrcy waved at the desk. "It's for whomever, but ostensibly for Tetorō since he's my Attaché and Secretary. I thought if you wanted to hide the fact you were here, you could put Akatsuki on your door instead of outside the main one. I make my main doorman stand inside on it instead of outside if I want to hide. I think we'll do that today as well. Tomorrow before the meeting we can have more of a real presence in the hallway."

"You know, that makes us uncomfortable," Reed protested mildly.

"Yes. Are you happy with turning people away?"

He shrugged. "We'd rather."

"Whatever, then," she said waving a hand. "I'm not partial either way. Only to not being disturbed." Reed immediately stepped outside and closed the door behind him. Purrcy smiled slightly. "Escaping quickly, isn't he?" She turned to Shiroe. "I don't suppose it's worth it to go into your office, or mine which is smaller, since we'll all need to participate to some level or other, but it would make them happier if you'd show us the conference room first. That bothers them, too, to not know what's on the other side of a door. ...And me, too."

Shiroe half-smiled. "I suppose so," he allowed. Purrcy waved to her door and Schedules opened it like he had before - carefully and inspecting the room first. When he nodded it was clear, Shiroe was waved in. He looked at them all a bit bemused. "You did this last time, too?"

"Yes," Purrcy answered flatly.

"Even though no one else can get in?"

"Even though," she answered in the same way.

"That is rather paranoid, you know."

"It's survival," she answered back.

Shiroe shook his head and walked over to the door between Purrcy's office and the Round Table conference room. He set the permissions on the safe room spell he'd set over it, then nodded. Purrcy confirmed the permissions on her door included the sub-guild and nodded at Schedules. Training walked in, excusing himself to Shiroe so that Shiroe had to move out of the way again. Schedules opened the door and Training looked through. The room was empty, so he scanned carefully, then stepped through. He searched under the large round table that was set in the middle of the room and under the chairs and behind them. When he was content that physically and trap-wise the room was safe, he motioned that Purrcy could enter.

Cautiously she entered the room following an unafraid Shiroe. All around the room were large painted winged angels, carved from the buttresses holding up the dome ceiling. Hanging from the center was a large chandelier. Around the table were set high backed chairs, one for each door that entered into the room. "They've already given you a chair as well," Shiroe commented. "I wonder."

"I shouldn't?" she asked. "Well...," she proceeded to answer herself, "I suppose for the board meetings it's fine, but when it's council meetings, I shouldn't." Shiroe nodded. She'd understood it. "Is it okay to have them in the same room?" she asked.

"I think so," he said tentatively. "I didn't for the negotiation, though."

"Hmm...we may prick Ains' sensibilities, then," Purrcy said thoughtfully. "Perhaps I'll wait to sit until the right moment, then?"

"Well, let's discuss what we'll do to begin with, then perhaps we'll see how and where it will fit."

"Okay," Purrcy nodded. "I'm ready now," she headed back for her door and the waiting Schedules, who was still holding it open. Purrcy took an end of the couch, while Shiroe stopped by his office and retrieved a tea set. As he stepped back out of his office, Records asked for it and did the honors of preparing it and setting it out. "Really," Purrcy said calmly, but with a smile, "you do spoil us so. I suppose it's part of the structure too, but it's very nice of you, from my perspective. I would hope it isn't something you hate."

Records paused and looked at her. "Miss Purrcy...perhaps there are people and times that it would be an irritant, and you are difficult, but you aren't someone to hate working for."

She looked at him a little surprised. "That's candid. Thank you...I think." She got a secret smile for her trouble trying to figure out what he meant exactly. "I think you've all learned how to say what you mean without saying it, as well?" That one wasn't answered. She gave up and turned to Shiroe, her ears pricked forward towards him. "I'll let you go first, then, Guildmaster."

Shiroe was himself smiling a secret smile into his teacup. He carefully put it away as he put his cup on its saucer and set the both of them on the little table between his chair and the couch she was sitting on, her legs tucked up under her. "Purrcy, start with - from the beginning again - where we're going and why. I will need to convince them they want to go there as well, after all. Then, we will back up even further, and you will explain to me why it was important for the corporation to be created and how it is supposed to help in the ultimate goal. They need to understand why you were the driving force behind it and how that is helpful rather than manipulative."

"But it was manipulative, on the outside," Purrcy protested mildly. "Indicus wanted it. I merely used it to help drive your own goal forward - the one to purchase all of Yamato and if possible as much of Theldesia as possible. There were other goals involved, I'm sure, or you wouldn't have agreed to it, nor would the guildmasters. It would have been squashed as soon as you presented it. I think you'll have to handle that part of it. I could care less if the zones were purchased, myself. I also have no need to be exceedingly wealthy, only have enough to live and I already had that in hand, as you know."

Her ear flicked. "It does help us get overseas and moving in those directions - that is of meeting with others who believe as you do and helping those who are Caretakers like myself. For the intermediate goal, it helps us get to China, where we're apparently supposed to learn the next thing we need to learn to help the world fix itself. I'm not sure if we're going to fix anything per se, at that moment in time, though it would be nice if shortly thereafter we could fix something else that needs fixing and that pushes us forward to going home, or which ever we get to do. Certainly D.D.D. wants its guildmaster back and he'd like to return home. If it must devolve into that, plus opening up markets for the production guilds, then that's enough. I'm sure as long as I go with, we'll get the lessons, etc. as we go."

She paused and took a breath, one ear turning. "Well...I've answered you backwards. But it's as I've said before. We need to go to China. There, we need to meet up with your friends, and face the Overwritten and perhaps we'll get to meet an Observer. If everyone is happy with that much, and then getting to come home, then that's all there is. From that point, though, I know I'm supposed to eventually get to the United States and the Eagles are coming with me. I don't know why, other than perhaps someone over there has learned something we need to know." Her eyes went distant. "Nyanta should come...but he will get to choose. That's a long time for him to be gone from his home and the children."

"Do you need to traverse the entire world, really?" Shiroe asked.

Purrcy shook her head. "Maybe not, but that won't be known until we finish in China. It would be preferable to me as well, I think, if we could just spend a month or two visiting the States, then return. A year is a very long time, really."

"Yes, it is," Shiroe said softly.

Purrcy looked down into her teacup. "Records, please get the summary reports from my desk. Give Shiroe mine and hand the rest to me. We'll read to get caught up, then Guildmaster Shiroe can tell me how it will all work together." She took a sip from her cup and sat putting thoughts together as Records fetched the papers and passed them out.

Skimming the reports from the guards quickly, Purrcy reached the end of them and placed them on the table for Shiroe to reach. She pulled Clocktower's report out of her list and read that as well. When she reached the end of it, she lifted it. "Clocktower, come add anything else you think Guildmaster Shiroe needs to know to this before I hand it over."

Records retrieved it from her, as he was still standing by, and handed it to Clocktower. "There's paper, pen, and ink in Tetorō's desk," he informed Clocktower.

Clocktower took the report to the desk, pulled out pen and ink and added a brief summary comment to the end of the report. He pulled out another sheet of paper and continued on to it briefly, then handed the report back to Records and returned to his place after putting the pen and ink away. Records handed the report to Shiroe directly.

It took a moment for Shiroe to register the papers, as he'd reached an intriguing part of Purrcy's report. He slipped Clocktower's report at the end of Purrcy's. When he was done reading both, he put both of them into a box in his item list, then picked up the other reports and read them quickly as well. By the time he was ready to discuss with Purrcy, he was talking to the Purrcy-World AI combination again.

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


"Naotsugu," Tetorō said mildly as they walked away from the main gate of Akiba, "which zone were we going to?"

"Oh, the close one we always go to," Naotsugu said blithely.

"Oh, the one they always aggro in," Tetorō said a little halfheartedly.

"What?" Naotsugu said.

"It'd be nice to do something a little different for a change," Tetorō said.

"We have to be back before dinner, and you need more Hacker practice in the field. At last showing you were finally getting up to speed on the low level monsters, but you've got work to do still to get to the mid and upper level ones. I'd like to see the lower level ones taken out without thought this time," Naotsugu was firm.

Tetorō sighed. "Fine, but can we fight them all the way up to the boss, then? I've got a couple big spells I've been wanting to try and I don't want to waste them on the small fry."

Nyanta nodded agreement. "My new rapiers are several levels higher than the old ones, for all they were excellent. I'm going to need the higher level monsters as well, I think, to understand what they can do."

Isuzu sighed. "I'm glad we have Minori with us this time. That was hard trying to be the only healer the first time Tetorō stepped out from that position and was only a Hacker."

Tetorō nodded. "I'll say. But this time, I'll try to step in a little more. I've been thinking about the balance, and I think I've figured out a better strategy that lets me get off Hacker spells and not think about them while I'm casting the Cleric spells. Even with Minori, I'm still the main healer when it comes to heavy damage." He narrowed his eyes at Naotsugu. "I thought we were going to be bringing in Marie in my place for these things."

Naotsugu looked a little wistful. "Well, yeah, but...I guess I didn't think of it for today, and they're pretty busy over there, too. We're not really that far along yet, I suppose."

"Well," Tetorō looked away, "I guess that's true. It is nice that we're still just us for now, even if the healing side of it's a bit difficult." He bit his lip and walked in silence for a while.

Touya glanced at Naotsugu. Naotsugu looked away, then sighed. "Out with it, man. That's what we're out here for today, you know?"

Tetorō looked like he'd rather not. "I really don't --"

"Shut up and say it," Touya grumped at him. "You haven't spoken two whimpers to us this whole time, you know."

Tetorō's mouth came open, "I - I haven't?"

Minori and Isuzu both shook their heads. "Oh." He hung his head a bit, then took a deep breath. "Well...it's that I think I won't be a Hacker much longer...and I'm really loving it."

It was their turn to have their mouths hang open. "Won't...?" Naotsugu barely got the word out.

Tetorō nodded. "You remember what she did, the first time?" They nodded. "World AI or Superuser, it's not going to let any of the rest of us do that. If Hackers in general get to do that sort of stuff at high levels, because they can mess with the code...that's going to be shut down. I expect all Hackers, and maybe even Technicians, to be shut down eventually. We were needed for repairing the Adventurer Tree of Life, but we're not needed in this world as a whole. Maybe it won't happen soon, but it will happen eventually. It's not natural magic to this world, see?" They got that.

"Purrcy's scheduled a meeting between me and her and Michael. She says it's to graduate us up to journeymen from apprentices. I'm not sure what that means, really, but I do remember her saying the first or second day we met for class that Michael was already ready to graduate up any day then. It's been months and he hasn't yet. I think she capped us both back then. I don't know if it was by removing the Class Programmer - which she also doesn't have any more by the way - or if it was by some other means. I leapfrog, sure, but I haven't crossed that boundary any more than Michael has and we're about the same level of skill now, particularly since we've been helping each other."

"Tetorō-kun, did she schedule that as Hahaue?" Nyanta asked, an ear turning towards Tetorō in interest.

Tetorō frowned trying to remember. "I don't think so...but...it's hard to tell. It was in the middle of the day both times. Sometimes she can sneak things in then. I won't really know until we get to the meeting." He looked up at Nyanta, wondering why the question.

Nyanta's ear flicked. "It matters though, in this case." He paused, putting his thoughts into order. "If she's going to be shut down but needs the channels left open she needs to set the two of mew up to take her place."

Tetorō stared at him. Miserably he said, "Nyanta-san, I really didn't need that. She might fall off the face of the earth, or moon, if she has to follow through the window too far, but to get shut down while she's still here? She's got things going we can't even guess at. We're still not light enough yet for the most delicate stuff. ...Though now that I think about it, she has been training all of us to be there." He sighed again. "I forgot about that. Her saying that when the Eagles were light enough to catch her in her sleep they got to graduate, too. I only remember thinking it wasn't likely to ever happen."

" _You_ get in," Michael said as he landed from overhead to join them in their walk. "Nice day for flying," he added as they somewhat-glared at him.

"Well, I do that because I got to set a tracer on her early on and she's ignored it since. I just follow that in. I think she always knows I'm there, though. It's not quite the same."

"Maybe," Michael shrugged. "What was the topic, again?"

"That's backing it up a bit," Touya looked back at him.

"Well, I can guess it anyway," Michael said. "Tetorō's opened his mouth to the lot of you. Did you push him to it?"

"They did," Tetorō said with a grimace.

"Good. And you've answered it," Michael continued. Tetorō nodded. "And you were talking about light feet. So you're worried about what she's not been doing."

"Well...sort of," Tetorō shrugged. "More like what she's going to do next in that area."

"Hmm...," Michael worked that one out. "That'd be, 'what's the context of the meeting we're supposed to have', then?"

"Yup."

Michael nodded. "Shut us down, or stick us into special ops and put us into hiding." He looked up into the sky, his hands behind his back under his wings. "She likes to be dramatic, after all, ...so it will probably be both."

"Both!" several complaints came at him.

He grinned at them all, then spread his wings. "Just my guess. Happy hunting!" He pushed off the ground and flapped a few strong strokes then was a receding figure in the sky.

Naotsugu shook his head. "Is it all Americans? Are they all dramatic like that?" The rest shrugged. Certainly those two were.

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


"Briar weasels, ten of them, four o'clock."

"Gah, two triffids, one o'clock and nine o'clock."

"I'll take nine o'clock." Nyanta's calm voice calmed the rest of them immediately, though they hadn't been overly concerned, really.

"I'm on the briar weasels," Rudy called out cheerfully. A series of attacks pelted the briar weasels shortly thereafter.

The triffid at one o'clock disappeared in a shower of bubbles. "Got it," Akatsuki said, her turn to say she was headed for it taken by the others before she could let them know.

"Ah, it's too easy with all of us on the job," Naotsugu complained.

"Um...no, not if you look at ten o'clock," Tetorō said with a gulp. "The boss just showed up."

"Right," Naotsugu set up, Touya just a little in front of him and to his side. They both cast their taunts as Minori passed out instructions for the rest of them and followed them up with a supporting damage reduction spell on the front line. Tetorō cast a group healing spell as Rudy and Nyanta got in their first attacks, then focused in on his higher level Hacker spell. The others were going to just keep it busy. He wanted to know how much damage the spell he'd created would do. Isuzu had an HP assist going, mostly for this moment and to keep his HP up until he got here.

"Right then," Tetorō murmured. "In 3...2...1."

There was a stunning flash from him to the troll, then it divided and looked like many lights swarming around it until the lights went out. As it fell into pieces it also began to disappear into bubbles.

"Wheow, what was that?" Naotsugu asked.

"Well, I thought I'd try to see if I could recreate what the swords are supposed to do. Those were Cutting Wind Blades, only you saw them as lights since we all have the tracer going all the time." Tetorō explained.

"You're dangerous," Touya said, swallowing. "Don't ever do that at me, okay? I got a close up of what it did to it."

"I get the next one, meow," Nyanta said.

"Okay," they agreed. They'd been watching his rapiers as well, but it hadn't been entirely clear how different they were yet, since the targets had been small fry considering their levels.

They walked another four minutes before the next set of enemies appeared. When it got to the boss, this time it was a hill troll, slightly larger than the simple troll Tetorō had taken out. Naotsugu and Touya held it down, like the first one. Tetorō cast status effects on it this time, slowing it down and decreasing its attack. Minori shielded Nyanta while Rudy, Isuzu, and Akatsuki kept it distracted and whittled down its numbers a little. Then Nyanta moved into action, his rapiers moving lightly and quickly in his hands as he attacked from the front - chest, neck, head. He continued over it and kept attacking the head, then down the back of the neck and the back. He landed and watched.

At first it looked like nothing had been done to it. There was no sign of damage at all. Then beginning with the first attack point and moving along the line of damage he'd done, there were sudden little explosions. As the bubbles rose up into the air, they could see that the damage had been done internally, and rather a lot of it, particularly the final attacks.

They looked at Minori. "Well, it looked like the attack damage was about the same each time, but the defense definitely dropped. By the time you hit the head, the natural defense of the hill troll was at zero so all the rest of the attacks did full damage."

Nyanta held up one of the rapiers and looked at it's length. "I also was able to attack more times than normal, so the speed definitely is increased, meow." He pondered his rapiers, then cleaned them and sheathed them. "I'll be intrigued to see how they purrform in raids. It may take some purractice to get the purroper feel for their use. Shiroe-ichi may be disappointed that his targets die too soon for a while." There were chuckles at that. Shiroe would be irritated if he wanted to time it closely, but he would also be highly intrigued and work very quickly to use them to his advantage in full raid battles. Nyanta paused, then turned away.

"Nu-uh," Naotsugu said with a grunt. "It's your turn now, Chief. Don't bottle it up."

Nyanta twitched in irritation, then glared at Naotsugu, though it wasn't a glare meant for him, really. "It's the same. A feeling I'll be called upon to use them against Purrcy specifically. I'd rather nyot."

"Well, there are some big monsters out there, particularly the ones the Overwritten like, or so I hear," Tetorō offered as an alternate.

Nyanta shrugged. "Of course, except that could also be her. Shiroe-ichi also said that. That she could be Overwritten because she's also in the monster database now. To take down one of them quickly, likely I'd have to use them on her." His face went to a mild snarl. "It's not like she can't come back, but I don't like to have to face her that way."

Isuzu put a calming hand on his elbow. "No one wants to kill the person they care about, not even if they know it's not permanent."

Nyanta nodded once, then took a breath and let it out. "Well, it isn't here, and it isn't yet, and we may get fortunate and the thing behind it all might actually listen to Shiroe-ichi and leave well enough alone." The rest agreed, trying to help, but Nyanta still didn't quite look like he believed it.

"Nyanta-san," Akatsuki said firmly. He looked at her. "If it comes to that...I'll take the last blow."

Nyanta looked at her, then finally bowed. "I'll leave it to mew, then, Akatsuki-chan. Thank mew." Akatsuki nodded firmly, sealing the agreement. In her view of the world, it would be an honor killing, a necessity that was just done because it had to be done, and for Nyanta's sake, a kindness. He could allow that. She had done it for Purrcy after all, during the experimental surgeries. Surely that had been harder.

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


They were on the walk back into town when Shiroe called Naotsugu. When the conversation was done, the Guardian smiled at the rest of them. "The Councillor's asked me to find and corner Li Gan at a table in the center of town until dinner's about done at home. He says he and Purrcy have worn themselves out, but have 'come to an agreed upon plan for tomorrow'."

"With all the main chefs out of the house today, I suspect the Eagles are cooking tonight - whoever had off duty anyway, so dinner might be hit or miss. I'll take the assignment. Make sure the rest of you get back right away, though. They'll likely need the support to stand up to Li Gan. He's sharp, you know."

The rest looked at him knowingly. Naotsugu and Li Gan had several common interests and they actually enjoyed visiting. Tetorō said, for all of them, "Make sure you come back rested up, too."

Naotsugu stretched and grinned. "Always."

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


"It never ceases to amaze me," the dry dusty voice of Li Gan entered the sitting room of the Log Horizon Guild Hall as the door opened to let it and the cold evening air in, "that the lady Adventurers can still wear beautiful panties under such short skirts even in the cold fall breeze and be so unaffected by it. ...Though I must say I certainly appreciate it, as do you." The short, thin man who almost looked more skeleton than human was wearing his ubiquitous brown robes and hat. He was slightly hunchbacked from reading his books by candlelight for so many years and he now looked as aged and ageless and dusty as the histories he both read and wrote. Naotsugu followed him in. "I still think that Tetora's hot pants when we first met her were most practical for the snowy weather, not to mention quite attractive."

"Li Gan!" Purrcy's voice rang out hard and cold. "When you enter polite society, please remember to convert your conversation to accommodate. Or do I need to reassign you to Maihama until you can remember such proper niceties on your own?"

Li Gan froze and gave his attention to the room he'd entered. His eyes stopped rather suddenly on the blushing Tetorō. He'd not seen the new version yet for himself. "It's Tetorō now, Li Gan," Naotsugu said calmly, standing just behind the older man.

Li Gan looked like he wanted to ask a million questions, but his eyes left Tetorō and continued to scan on until they found Purrcy, who was still sitting upright, her eyes sharp, her fur practically sparking. Li Gan's mouth opened and closed a few times, then he finally settled on, "Ah, no, thank you. I'm terribly sorry." He bowed over his clutched hands, then continued to watch Purrcy, keeping as humble a face as they'd ever seen on him, which wasn't much but was more than they thought possible.

As soon as Purrcy had calmed down and sat back in her chair, Li Gan was suddenly standing across the table from her, his fingertips drumming against each other, as if he were looking at a prize and inspecting it hungrily. "Oh, my. I would never have expected it at all. No, I wouldn't have. Who would have thought...an Adventurer as Oracle of Inari-no-Izanami?! This is most unusual. I don't believe we've had one for nearly one-hundred twenty years, and for an Adventurer to be chosen...yes, most unusual."

"It nearly ate you, man, and you're okay with it?" Naotsugu reprimanded as he took his seat on the couch.

Li Gan barely spared him a glance. "It was a temporary phenomenon."

He got stared at. "Well, actually," Shiroe cautioned, "I don't think that's quite the case."

Li Gan did pause longer to look at Shiroe, respecting his opinion. "No? Well, then, I'm all ears, Archmage Shiroe, all ears!" His pointed ears were indeed pricked to nearly quivering, the same as the tip of his nose.

"Li Gan, this is Purrcy. Purrcy, Li Gan, Sage of Miral Lake." Shiroe introduced them.

Li Gan froze again, then started trembling in excitement. "You mean, the personage who's been training the Technicians and the new Hacker sub-class is this person here in front of me? And is the Oracle?" Li Gan finally plopped himself down on the edge of the closest chair and rubbed his hands together. "So...how did it happen? Please tell me so I can record it for the annals."

Purrcy's whiskers twitched as if she'd just smelled a particularly odorous old cheese. She held out her hand and a cube appeared in it. "Here is the history, recorded at the proper level of detail for you. We haven't the time for me to tell it to you in one sitting. However, you might be able to use this time to get the opinions of those around you as to how they feel about having it happen."

The cube disappeared and reappeared in Li Gan's lap. He startled, then picked it up and inspected it. "A magic record cube. One of these hasn't been created since shortly after the First World Fraction, though similar ones have been created to a lesser degree off and on." He glanced up at Purrcy. "I presume it works the same way as the others?"

"Yes," she said.

He looked at her suspiciously, then more carefully. "That knowledge should be lost, or at least hidden. Unless...," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Unless you're also receiving knowledge, not just a vessel." His sharp eyes pierced her. "Are you also then the Priestess as well?" Purrcy blinked at Li Gan and an ear dipped slightly.

Li Gan looked like he wanted to pounce on Purrcy and dissect her. "Oh, my. Most irregular, most irregular. To be both the Oracle and the Priestess, and at the same time an Adventurer. Really, what is the world god thinking? To go to such lengths.... The last Priestess passed away about twenty-five years ago. To have an Oracle and a Priestess in one person hasn't happened in almost two-hundred thirty years. Really, this is so very exciting!" He was quivering now in delight. "My, my. I think I've picked a very good time to come down to Akiba and visit." He cackled slightly in glee. His eyes flicked around the room. "And has a Priest been chosen yet? We've been needing one of those for about thirty years now." The room was very quiet, not answering him.

"Well," he shrugged it off and moved on, "one will appear when one is needed, I suppose." He turned his attention off of Purrcy and back to Shiroe. "So, when did Lady Purrcy come to you? Did Inari-no-Izanami send her?"

"I suppose you could say that," Shiroe said dryly, "though she was actually sent by Plant Hwayden from Minami. We've cleared that issue up and kept Purrcy safe since then." Purrcy relaxed to have the attention off of her for a bit, happy to have Shiroe answering the questions.

Li Gan nodded and shifted in his seat, settling in for the question and answer session. He listened closely to Shiroe's story of how Purrcy had come to Log Horizon. The rest of the room watched Li Gan. He was politely sympathetic to the plight of her and the other half-beasts, though it was obvious he didn't comprehend what it really meant for the Adventurers to be made to go into heat on this planet. He asked probing detailed questions that he couldn't possibly understand the answers to on how the 'computer virus' had worked and how they'd combated it. Shiroe glossed over the capture and sentencing of the Plague Master and paused to see if Li Gan had any further questions.

"Did that fix it, the problem?" Li Gan asked.

"Yes," Shiroe said calmly. "We've got the antidote still going as we scheduled, but we haven't seen it come up again yet."

"Good, good," Li Gan nodded. "How long ago was that now, that all this happened?"

Shiroe looked like he really didn't want to say. "A little over three months ago, now, I guess. Things have been busy since then."

"Oh? At about the time of the most recent world magic, then? Have you been able to come up with any information about the Justice of the East since we last talked?"

"Nothing new," Shiroe answered. It was an honest answer, but it was keeping what he did know secret.

"Well, I may keep asking around. Ah...and I thought of another one I was wondering if you'd heard anything about. The land has been rather quiet on the whereabouts of the Caretaker. I was surprised to even learn of the Caretaker a year ago. It wasn't a title we've had in the past. I keep hoping to learn more about what and who it is, but all I can get is that the Caretaker has been missing for about four months or so. To have one created, then disappear seems highly irregular."

Purrcy sighed. "I've been rather busy, Li Gan."

His eyes shot to her. "What?"

"It's in the memory cube also, since that's when I was activated as Oracle and assigned Priestess, though that wasn't activated at that time. Really, I'd rather not have told you about it at all, but Inari-no-Izanami has required it to be recorded for posterity. Please let it remain a story for your grandchildren. While I'm living it, it's best to not let society in general know. I really don't need seekers beating a path to the door of Akiba and Log Horizon. The goddess has a different purpose for me at this time than to be a creature of worship."

"Whipping girl more like it," Michael muttered under his breath. He was sitting slouched in his chair, his arms folded, a slight scowl on his face.

Li Gan's eyes darted to him, then looked around the room in general again. "Archmage Shiroe," he said slowly, "you're guild seems to have expanded quite a bit since I was last in Akiba." His eyes went back to Tetorō. "Not to mention had some other changes." His eyes went back to Purrcy, "But then...I suppose...," he looked at Shiroe and sat back, "it hasn't been easy to have both the Oracle and the Priestess in your house." His mouth pursed into a thin line.

"That would be a correct assessment," Shiroe granted him.

Li Gan sighed sympathetically. "Inari-no-Izanami has always been known to be rather...difficult." He looked back at Purrcy. "I suppose if an Adventurer was chosen, you couldn't be convinced to return to the shrine?"

"If I went to the shrine, Li Gan, how would I ever be able to accomplish the purpose I was chosen for?" Purrcy answered.

"There's actually a shrine of Inari-no-Izanami?" Tetorō asked.

Li Gan nodded. "If you get tired of her, feel free to tell her she has to go there."

Purrcy raised an eye ridge of whiskers. "I take it you had your own run-ins with the last one?"

"Well, let us say the Priestess and I didn't get along terribly well, no," he allowed. "I wasn't alive at the time of the last Oracle, of course, but the stories handed down from Sage to Sage tell us that the Oracle was worse by quite a bit."

"Is the shrine for Inari-no-Izanagi far from the one for Inari-no-Izanami?" Nyanta asked Li Gan.

Li Gan blinked. "Ah, no, not far. It's the next one over to the west. Then there's the one on the southeast for Inari-no-Omiyame, the south for Inari-no-Ukanomitama, and the one on the southwest for Inari-no-Sarutahiko. Or that is, the god in the form of water, food, and land."

"So it's the worship of the _Inari goza_ , then?" Shiroe asked politely.

"Yes," Li Gan answered back, happy to begin yet another discussion. "The Mother Goddess and Father God are the most revered of the five, and often only they have a Priestess and a Priest in residence. I think there is currently one for Inari-no-Sarutahiko. Shrine Mountain is of course the highest peak in Yamato."

Purrcy groaned. Nyanta's ears were folded back towards his head. "I'm _not_ going to live on top of Mount Fuji," Purrcy flat out rejected. "Especially when I didn't want to be the Priestess and Oracle in the first place. I was only picked because it was convenient at the time, and without my approval."

"I think it's likely because it was also necessary," Shiroe tried to soothe her. She glared at him instead, not really wanting to be reminded of that fact right at the moment.

"Well," Li Gan interrupted, "it isn't at the _top_ per se. People would find that difficult to walk up to to give their offerings, after all. It's only about half-way up to the top." He said the last as if they should be happy about it. Purrcy's ear and tail flicked in irritation and some unhappiness and she growled under her breath.

"Ah, but, I am a bit surprised that a felinoid was chosen, rather than a foxtail?" Li Gan said, raking Purrcy with his eyes.

"Only this felinoid was stupid enough to give Inari the opening to have an Adventurer," Purrcy was still upset. Li Gan raised an eyebrow and she sighed. "I cast a new spell and left an opening undefended. It took advantage of that opening and here I am."

"New...spell?" Li Gan's breath caught. "You...cast _new_ spells?"

Purrcy scowled. "Yes, Li Gan. I cast new spells or we wouldn't have the Technicians and Hackers to begin with. I'm one of the first Hackers. I'm a crotchety old woman who wouldn't let Inari tell me what I could and couldn't do, so did as I pleased. For my troubles Inari chose to make me do as it pleased when it pleased to. As said old woman, I'm still terribly crotchety with myself for giving it the opening, and with it for yanking my chain. I'll not be stepping foot into the shrine anytime soon, so please don't announce to them I've been chosen. If and when it's time, I'll send them a note to sweep up the place and put a warm fire on. In the meantime, they can keep doing what they do best without me around."

Li Gan laughed, a dry dusty chortle. "I think that perhaps I might like you, Lady Purrcy," he said. "Such feistiness in a Priestess is refreshing."

Purrcy snorted. "Well, that's just me. Inari-no-Izanami isn't any different from what you expect, as you've already heard."

Li Gan nodded, "No, well, that's to be expected, I suppose, but the last Priestess expected to be waited on hand and foot and only have to lift a finger on festival days. If they aren't like that, then they're frightened things that can only jump to attention or lie about in bed dreading the next visit."

Purrcy tipped her head at Li Gan. "Well...that last is understandable. It's a rather heavy burden to carry, when you can feel the absolute power arriving. Having a world presence enter a tiny physical body by comparison is rather...daunting. Perhaps the former is to counteract the feeling of helplessness that remains when that overwhelming presence disappears. There are days I'm the same."

"Today, however, I'm peeved. I've come from a world that may have such legends but does not believe them. We have a different way of looking at it, and consider ourselves different, and highly intelligent. Inari has been crossing the boundaries of acceptable behavior of late and I'm not happy about it, so we are currently fighting."

Li Gan went pale and his hands wrung together. "Ah, but Lady Purrcy, surely that isn't advisable? It's the proper position of the Priestess to see that Inari-no-Izanami is kept pacified so that destruction doesn't fall upon the people and the land."

Purrcy raised an eyeridge. "I understand that, Li Gan. But it is still a child compared to where we come from and it needs proper training. If you continue to spoil the child, you only have weakness in the end. If it truly wants to be a properly strong world in the end, then it must also accept it's proper lessons and correction. From the history Shiroe recited for me that you told him, so far it's been struggling. It has specifically brought the Adventurers to itself to help it correct its own errors, and has made me the Oracle and Priestess to see that those errors are corrected. I am not merely a vessel. I am, sadly, brought to be its mother. Thus, the other reason it has named me Caretaker."

Everyone slumped at that. Nyanta rubbed his hand over his head and behind his ear a few times. "Really, Purrcy. The World AI has chosen that mew'll be its mother?"

Purrcy looked at him and sighed. "Yes, Nyanta, near as I can tell. I think it's crazy." She turned and looked at Shiroe. "That is, if you assume that it _is_ a World AI instead of one or more Superusers. It's like it was set to world creation, but learned late - or early perhaps - that in choosing to use our template for _Elder Tales_ that it was an imperfect system and finally decided it needed to bring in the original creators to finish correcting the initial imperfections."

"As an AI, it also needs to learn, since it can, but when it tried to correct the imperfections before, it didn't accomplish it correctly. I suppose it could have tried again on its own, but perhaps it decided to bring in parents and teachers instead. We all learn faster that way, after all, rather than continuing to use trial and error techniques." Purrcy shrugged. "If it is just Superusers, I'll let the Eagles loose when we find out and Theldesia can correct itself or die as we choose."

"But...but, die?" Li Gan said faintly, not really following her.

"If it's Superusers, Li Gan, meaning an external influence that shouldn't be interfering, rather than an Inari, then it should settle down nicely in its time. We won't leave until it's safe for peace-loving creatures. I'm sure you'll still live long enough to pass your title on to your successor."

Li Gan looked at her, then narrowed his eyes. "You're very prideful, aren't you?"

"So I'm told," Purrcy answered without apology. "I believe it's part of being old and impatient, ...and having seen a lot of life and the world." She rose. "Being of the impatient sort, I'm done for the night. Please enjoy the remainder of your visit."

She paused and looked at Shiroe again. "Oh, yes, I did want to say that another working theory might be that the Overwritten and Observers are what remain of the Alv's. Like us they didn't thrive and had a massive magic technology. I think they may have been turned 'real' and when the humans etc. found out they could die, they did die. At the moment, your goal for peaceful coexistence needs to be met for us to not meet the same fate they did when this round of world expansion and growth is complete. The goal of getting us back home is still preferable."

"According to its own laws, the world can't get rid of the destruction the Overwritten are causing. The loss of its favorite children, which it created to counteract the problems the Alvs left behind, has it quite in a tantrum, really. Bringing us here has caused more problems than it hoped to correct, nearly. But why it has to keep basing its growth on our limited RPGs, I have no idea. And for that reason, I still hold to the theory that it's another species testing us on our own creations to show us how much of a failure they are, when we never meant for them to be 'real' worlds in the first place. No sense of adventure and creativity at all in them. If they could learn those two traits from us, then they could leave us alone and go have their own fun finally, instead of torturing us as their scientific entertainment. Really," Purrcy snorted and lashed her tail, then swept out of the room.

There was silence for a bit, then Li Gan said mildly, "Leaves a hole when she goes, doesn't she?"

"Rather," Shiroe answered dryly.

"But a bit heavy when present," Rudy commented.

Li Gan turned to him, a slightly surprised look on his face. "Even to the point that I'd not even noticed you and the other children were here at all."

Rudy nodded. "We're often in that position," he said, a wrinkle on his nose.

"She doesn't ignore us," Minori hastily said. "It's more like...she's protecting us from that weight she has to carry with her. When she can, she visits with us, but never when she's carrying Inari."

"Hmm," Li Gan rubbed his chin. "Multiple personalities, almost?" Hesitantly, the youngest of the guild nodded. He looked up at the ceiling. "Yes...that would be understandable. It hasn't been all that long. Hmm. Well, how long has it been, Archmage Shiroe? Do you know when she became the Oracle?"

"She became the Priestess shortly after we resolved the issue of the Plague Master, or that was activated then, anyway. You know the best estimate I do for when Oracle happened. Roughly six months after the catastrophe."

"So...not quite two years yet, and likely she hasn't had to actually be the Oracle much during that time?"

"Not until the last few weeks. Then it's been fairly frequent."

Li Gan considered, then rubbed the back of his head. "Well, and she wasn't chosen as a child either. They're easier to mold after all. Still, she's very strong to still have her own personality - but then all Adventurers are strong." He shrugged and looked like he was going to change the subject. Rather, he'd made everyone tense up again and Shiroe's very dark look brought him up short. "Eh, ah...?"

"Perhaps you'd care to explain that a little further?" Shiroe requested the order.

"Well...," Li Gan tried to sound matter of fact about it, "you know, a goddess and a god, they are very powerful and large, as she said. The infinitesimal size of the Oracle in comparison - it doesn't remain it's own person very long."

In the silence that reigned following that statement, Nyanta rose gracefully to his feet. "I find her reasoning to be sound. The one who is Hahaue exists and will continue to exist, or the Caretaker would not have been chosen." He bowed to Shiroe. "If mew'll excuse me." They watched in silence as Nyanta moved to follow after Purrcy.

Li Gan wrung his hands together and gave a concerned look to Shiroe. Shiroe sat back in his chair. "Li Gan. It is also my personal belief that the World AI, or Inari if you prefer, has met its match, and more than its match. We will not let Purrcy go."

Li Gan looked around nervously, then sighed. "Truly, the Adventurers are formidable, to be so unfathomable as to believe they can take on the gods - and win."


	26. Forbidden Question

Nyanta walked onto the roof of the guild hall. The wind was taking the leaves off the tree, which was already half bare. The smell of damp leaves wafted up from the roof with the wind that also brought the cold scent of more rain on the way. It would be snow in less than a month, most likely. He looked up into the tree first, but Purrcy wasn't there. She'd been too impatient to be sitting in it, though, so it wasn't surprising. Rather, she was standing at the edge of the roof, looking over the city, the wind blowing her skirt lightly around her knees. She'd put on a sweater over the dress and her ears were turned back so as to not catch the wind in them. He could see her nose was smelling the air, her eyes closed to shut out the city, in her pose of longing for the freedom of the wilds. He almost wished he could give it to her. Tomorrow afternoon.

Nyanta walked up behind Purrcy and loosely put his arms around her waist in a hold that kept her warm and feeling safe, rather than restrained further. He kissed her cheek and she turned to rub her head on his cheek. "Was anything more useful said?" she asked him.

"Nyot that we didn't already know, meow," he said, rubbing his cheek on her head softly. He paused, then asked her, "Do mew carry the weight of an infinite being when meowr the Oracle?"

Purrcy lifted her head to the sky, incidentally resting it against his shoulder. "...Infinite.... Well, who's to say what's infinite and what isn't." She took a breath and sighed it out. "It is certainly difficult to not have my will my own, and even my words at times. It often feels like living a lie, being a borrowed body. I suppose I would have been more careful when it was me borrowing had I understood a little better at the time, though Nureha didn't care most of the time." She gave a small cynical laugh. "I was nicer than her and it won her points. That's all she cared about, really."

When she paused, he asked, "Is it really only borrowing, though?"

An ear flicked. "How can I see it any other way, Nyanta?" She sounded confused.

"It matters," he said quietly in her ear, making the words breathy on it on purpose so that she relaxed back into his chest and he held her a little tighter. "Mew hold the clue to what it is in that answer. Is it an infinite god who is creating a new world, a construct we may call an artificial intelligence, or is it merely an alien mind trying to comprehend a species of creature different than it? What comes to 'borrow' the body of the Adventurer named Purrcy? How heavy is it?"

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta walked down the stairs to the first floor main room carrying an unconscious Purrcy in his arms. Minori jumped up and ran to them, checking Purrcy as soon as she reached her, placing a gentle hand on her forehead. Tetorō wasn't far behind, leaping over the back of the couch and already preparing a healing spell. Nyanta paused to let them work on her, but was shaking his head before the spell was even completed. He moved towards his room and they went with him. Shiroe stood and followed after them, Michael at his back.

Minori pulled out the futon and unrolled it. She pulled the top layer off and Nyanta settled Purrcy carefully in her place. Minori put the cover on top of her, then knelt at Purrcy's head, her hand going back on top of it. There hadn't been a change in Purrcy at all, though her HP had gone back up. Minori turned worried eyes to Nyanta. Nyanta sighed and looked over to Shiroe, his ears expressing a bit of concern or sorrow. "I asked a forbidden question," he admitted. "Though I'm nyot sure if the question itself was forbidden or if her seeking the direct answer was forbidden."

"Is it a punishment?" Shiroe asked, slightly alarmed.

Nyanta's tail brushed the top of the futon lightly, as if seeking Purrcy. "I...don't know. If asking the question was forbidden, she's been taken as my punishment. If her seeking it was forbidden, then...." He didn't know how to finish that one.

Tetorō jumped up and ran from the room. They could hear him when he reached the central room. "Li Gan. What do the histories say if an Oracle is asked a forbidden question?" His panic made them close their eyes to the emotions that wanted to rise in reaction to it. They calmly waited for the answer, but Li Gan's words didn't carry as far, his voice being lower and quieter than Tetorō's.

"Nyanta," Shiroe's voice was his most quietly angry it could be. "If you have broken the contracts then there cannot be a punishment great enough for you."

"I'm sorry, Shiroe-ichi," Nyanta bowed. "...But there is one. It is the one already given."

Shiroe's lips tightened even further and his eyes were cold and hard.

"Nyanta," Michael was also very cold. "If she is gone, --"

Tetorō pushed his way past again, interrupting him. "Li Gan says that normally after a night's sleep they return." He threw it to them on the way past to land by Purrcy's side again. He put a hand on her and closed his eyes. They waited quietly, watching him. He finally sighed and opened his eyes. "She's still in one of her foxholes, but as unconscious there as here."

He looked at her sadly and ran a hand lightly down her arm to hold her hand in his. "He says they don't remember being asked the question when they wake, nor is there an answer waiting to be given." Tetorō was quiet for a bit, "Then he scolded me. He says that this is why the Oracle is kept at the temple. The acolytes hear the questions first and know which ones are Forbidden and they refuse to allow them to be asked. There are times the wrath of the gods falls upon the land or the people when a Forbidden question is asked."

Nyanta turned away from the door and Shiroe. "It isn't likely my question is one they would have heard before; however, they would have refused it."

"Why is that?" Shiroe asked quietly.

"It would have been considered heretical." His voice was bitter. "I wanted to know if she was really an Oracle from our purrception, or only from the purrspective of this place being based on a game." Both Michael and Shiroe shifted from angry and fearful stances to ones of irritation.

Tetorō looked up at Nyanta over his shoulder. "Why? As long as we're here, it's the same."

Nyanta shook his head in irritation. "It isn't. Nyot for me. Nor is it for the final solution we are seeking." The rest looked at him still in impatient anger, not finding that sufficient. His tail lashed once as he sought for words to explain. "If she is ruled by a real god of this a real world, then how much longer have I a real wife?" His lips pulled back from his teeth. "If it is a child learning of how to build worlds or understand living creatures, it can be taught and we myay be mother and father together. If it is a god playing by whim with creatures of insignificance then should we not die now?" Minori froze in fear at those words. Tetorō glanced at her and put a calming hand on her knee.

Shiroe took a calming breath. It couldn't really be said yet if the Forbidden question had broken the contract. Likely they wouldn't know until Purrcy woke, but if past experience said they woke up not remembering the question, and she fit that case, then if they were careful they would be forgiven and the contracts left in force. When he felt under control enough, he said, "Nyanta, I understand that would be very concerning to you, because you have the greatest investment in this path we walk. However, neither of the theories - that we are working with a World AI or with aliens - has been punished up until now. Following those lines will get us the answers both it and we seek, regardless of what it is. Finding those answers, we've already been promised, will see her returned to us as an Adventurer, no longer Oracle and Priestess."

He paused to consider Nyanta. "To have her answer directly which one it is, is counterproductive to finding the ultimate solution that is being sought because it is in seeking the answer to the former that we will find the answer to the latter. This is why she hasn't answered it yet, and why she still holds to the one side and I to the other. If we assume together it is one or the other, then we will miss the answer and slip into complacency." Nyanta's ears relaxed forward towards just unhappiness and his tail calmed down.

Shiroe looked over his shoulder and called for Touya. Rudy came with him. Shiroe looked at them, then tipped his head at Nyanta. Touya nodded and walked into the room and escorted him out. Rudy and he walked guard on him, escorting him. Nyanta continued on past the main room and went towards the kitchen. They went with him and Isuzu joined them. Isuzu and Rudy went into the kitchen with Nyanta while Touya stood on the door, leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and one foot up on the frame. When they were settled, Shiroe looked back at Minori and Tetorō. Tetorō's fist clenched and Minori looked still frightened and worried, but she gave a determined nod to Shiroe. Shiroe reached in and closed the door for them so they didn't have to move, then turned for the main area.

"Shiroe," Michael said quietly, looking at him. "If he's broken his contract with her, we will make ours the primary one."

He looked at the military man solemnly. "It can't be known yet...but if so, we'll abide by it. If my contract is broken then it's as he's already said. We may as well die in the morning as continue on tetherless."

"Well...that's a bit pessimistic," Michael restrained him. "Remember, we believe that even when we're down and the kicking's done, we can still stand and win out in the end. Don't lose your faith too quickly."

Shiroe sighed. "Thank you, Michael, for the reminder." He led the way back to the central area. He looked at Naotsugu, who was waiting for him. "He's to sleep either on the roof or with you tonight. Preferably the latter. He probably shouldn't be alone tonight." Shiroe's eyes tiredly moved across the room towards Akatsuki, but paused when Michael spoke.

"Reed, set watchmen on him tonight. Brenner," he pointed with his head towards the kitchen and the chaplain quietly rose and walked to enter that room as well. "Gareth, go sit with the kids and purr for her this time." Gareth rose and walked towards Nyanta's room, entering it quietly. "Li Gan. Goodnight. Thanks for coming." Michael's arms folded. "I'm sure we'll have you back when the domicile has settled back down." There was motion among the sub-guild indicating they'd make sure he made it out the door.

A light touch on Shiroe's elbow drew his attention and he looked over to see Akatsuki's eyes looking up into his. "Shiroe," she urged him, tugging lightly on his elbow.

"Good night, Li Gan," Shiroe said politely to the thin man who had risen and was looking slightly worried. Li Gan bowed nervously. "I'm sure we'll talk again." Shiroe allowed Akatsuki to escort him to his office and the waiting teapot. He was glad for the strength of the Eagles this night, for Michael being able to take over, but he wondered what to do about the strength of his own guild if such a thing could push Nyanta over the edge of his own careful capacity. Was there a thing that had been misunderstood?

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō looked over his shoulder in surprise when the door opened again. He hadn't expected anyone else to come in. To see it be one of the Americans was somewhat surprising as well. "Gareth," Tetorō acknowledged him. Tetorō was one of the few who knew all the Eagles by name, having worked with them all on the practice battlefield. He also made it a point to know people's names generally and something about them. It was part of who he was, and part of his position as field monitor.

"Michael's assigned me," Gareth said softly, explaining his presence. He gave a half smile, not holding any mirth, "Specifically to purr for her, though she's out cold so I'm not sure how that helps." Tetorō waved to the opposite side of the futon, inviting him to at least sit. "You asked about a forbidden question, but that's all I know so far," Gareth said, moving into the room. "Can you fill me in?" His eyes went to the unmoving Purrcy as he got close enough to see and his face went both a little worried and a little soft.

Tetorō sighed. "Nyanta...," he wasn't sure how far to take that really. "Well, he asked her a question that didn't really need to be asked and it was one that shouldn't have been asked, apparently." He looked down at the hand he was holding and brushed the back of it with his free hand. "He's afraid of being alone. Li Gan's comment wasn't new. We already know that if we can't free her, she won't be her anymore. It's bad enough she isn't her own," he could hear the bitterness in his voice and tried to reign it in. "I'm glad Li Gan didn't say it when she was in the room, though. ...I don't think she knows." He tapered off, then took a deep breath again.

"Nyanta's carrying the largest burden of all of us, though I've got the second and Shiroe the third." He looked up at Gareth. "We tried to help him today, but it wasn't really enough. He needs to kill something big and he needs to know she's really going to be free to be his, so he can stop being afraid. He was probably just asking her for reassurance, the way he does when he gets that way, but it was in the wrong way this time. He asked the Oracle instead of Hahaue."

Minori's face twisted in a grimace. "There's no comfort from or in the Oracle - in what Hahaue has to become when she's gone." Tetorō nodded agreement.

Gareth was looking between them. "Does she really  _have_ to become it?"

They looked at him. "It doesn't look any different from that," Tetorō answered.

"We'd rather she didn't," Minori added.

Gareth nodded agreement and understanding to that. He'd sat cross legged on the other side of Purrcy from Tetorō. Now he put one fist inside the other and rubbed his thumb tips together. Two fingers unfolded from the outer fist while he considered them and thought. He finally drew a breath and spoke. "When we were in the Special's section of the Minami prison, life was a grey haze, mostly. Sitting at one HP, you're mostly dead, but not quite there. You're starving, weak, in pain. They don't have to feed you - you're an Adventurer, and the Adventurer body continues to survive in that state regardless of what your mortal body would have done, or even what your soul would like to do." His knuckles whitened as his hands clenched tighter a bit. "Two years is a long time to live like that," he whispered. He was obviously not seeing the place he sat at the moment.

A hand reached out slowly for the other hand of Purrcy's resting on the cover. He very gently touched it. "This person...," he paused to swallow, "came and sat on my chest to purr somewhere in that bleak darkness that was worse than even the worst prisoner of war camp on Earth. It wasn't every time I cried, desperate to die, but it was enough to let me know that there was someone who could come to me when I couldn't get out, who wanted me to be warm again, maybe even have hope again."

He took a breath. "I was mad sometimes, that the purring would leave and I couldn't go with it, and sometimes I pleaded for it to come back and it didn't. It was more lessons that life isn't fair." He blinked. "But one of those times, Mike was able to talk to me. He couldn't much. We all heard his voice down there, when he got there and when he was on duty. We knew he'd come for us, and was doing his damnedest to figure out how to get us out. He cussed under his breath more often in English than he spoke out regular in Japanese. But that time, I'd been begging for the purr to 'come back' and he asked me what it was that had come to visit me." Gareth looked at Purrcy almost in amazement. "I told him a cat had been coming to purr for me. He was quiet, then asked me for how long." Gareth gave a laugh. "Like I knew how time passed down there. I could only answer 'a while'."

Gareth looked away. "Mike made me his wingman the day I told him to fly left not right and his wing nearly got tore off for not listening to me. I'd just gone through the beginnings of the sworle and felt it wiggle my angel. Everyone else peeled off around it after that, and we made it back home okay." He looked back down at the hand in his lap. "When I told him I'd heard a cat purring, in a place no cat ever'd been, nor could one go, he believed me. And then he told me why."

Gareth shook his head. "It was impossible to believe that there were Adventurers who had it worse than we did, and sometimes I wondered if it wouldn't be better to be one like her. Really dead, but no body to go back to. Being in that body, this body, and not able to leave it, or move, or anything - some days it was a crap shot as to which was better, but at least I understood one thing: the one without a body was still living, still moving, still cared enough about one with a body that couldn't move to not hate or be envious, but to console and commiserate. Equally in bad straits, equally in need of comfort, equally needed and desperately wishing for something different. It was the most comforting thing in the world, even though there were - originally - twenty-three of us down there."

Gareth's face went hard. "And when she wasn't there, after that, I used my anger for her sake to keep me going. Because in the end, she did have it bad. Not only like us could she not have a body to move and control, but she also couldn't get free. She was owned." He shook his head. "But Mike also let us know, one of the times he was cussing and banging his head against the bars of her cell, that she was still fighting anyway." The mirthless smile was back. "He was cussing her out, for walking back into the prison she was in, for not getting what freedom she could have gained, even if it was only as a spirit. ...I don't think I'll ever forget, and maybe no one else who heard it will either, what she said to him."

The hand touching Purrcy's shook and he clenched it. " 'Michael, you've got boys over on the other side that need to see the light of the sun again and breathe the fresh air. What right do I have to give up and go free as a ghost when I might just have the opportunity to let us all go free? ...Michael, never ever forget we are Americans and just because  _The Last Boy Scout_ was a movie that doesn't mean the American spirit isn't in every one of us. Just because we've been sucked up in  _Independ_ _e_ _nce Day_ , that doesn't mean we don't keep fighting until there's nothing left of us to say 'boo'. It's the last burst of phaser fire that wins the day in the end - every time. If I die, ghost and all before I've done all I can do, then I've done all I can do. I'm not there yet. Don't tell me, Michael, don't you dare tell me, that I'm not to be an American pioneer woman. I come from the best stock. Or tell me so I can fight harder. I've stood up to every person who's ever said that to me, and won'."

Gareth looked up and laughed. "You know what happened?" Tetorō and Minori shook their heads. "Every goddamn one of us up and yelled at her, calling her a pussy footed weakling that wasn't fit to be called an American pioneer woman. We scared the shit out of Mike, then he busted down crying and laughing at the same time. His final words to her that night were, 'Go get'em, you damn woman, and if you can't, I'll disown you and toss you out of the States for good for being a liar and a fake, 'cause  _a ghost can't do it_. " Gareth chuckled again. "She was still cussing at him when she was taken away."

He lifted a knee and rested on it, his other hand gently reaching for Purrcy's cheek. "She lit our fire again that night. It wasn't easy even after that, but she reminded us what we were, and we knew if there was a way to get out, she'd find it, or Mike would, or we in the end would also be the last to be nothing but still have tried to do everything, or we weren't fit to be called American military aviators. We wouldn't have been able to face her proudly after that otherwise." His finger brushed her fur. "We chatted a lot after that when we were conscious, to keep each other going, the same as we had at the first when we first were thrown in there, though Mike said to keep it quiet when the top brass were in there so that we remained forgotten. I think we managed to remember at least half of  _The Last Boy Scout_ and most of  _Independence Day_ , and then moved on to every American Spirit movie we could think of."

Gareth paused, then continued. "That was the last time we heard from her for a long time, and even Mike disappeared a short while later, promising he'd be back. It was good they left us with the rousing speech or we would have settled back into despair again pretty quick. ...When we heard Indicus put Nureha back under punishment we got mad, and we started getting ready. When Mike walked back in, we knew it was about time. And when he cussed out Purrcy under his breath again for staying for more punishment yet again, we woke up and stayed awake. The sound of swords clashing in that place was the best music I've ever heard, next to her speech, and the laugh we knew was Purrcy's as she threw Indicus' demand back in her face even better. My favorite 'no' to hear ever."

"Mike had to carry us all out by himself, but it wasn't like we weighed much by that point, and it took a long time for these bodies to believe they had any HP at all again. Even though it was snacks and water, it was ambrosia, though we took it slow just in case, trying to figure out what we had. Mike for some reason thought we'd hate him, but that wasn't hard to fix." His eyes lifted to Tetorō's. "Thanks for letting her use you as her Oracle. We needed to see her first, to know that she was still fighting it out, that it wasn't just us she'd freed, then felt like she could be done. That wouldn't have fit the requirement either. We wanted to be there, in the Maze, to watch her do that, too. Mike gave us regular updates so we'd know, or we'd have busted down the door and come anyway. It was hard to wait, like it was for you, to see her with our own eyes, give her those hugs - and get them - that we'd been promising."

His hand clenched again and his eyes went hard once more and he swallowed. He looked down at Purrcy. "Damn you. You're not done. You're not allowed to quit yet, pansy. Just because you show up in a body, doesn't mean you get to say you're an American pioneer woman. You've got to come home with the alien ship exploding behind you. Then you get the American hero's welcome, even if the stadium lights are falling all around you. You've still got the final jig to do, and we're still waiting to see it on the big screen."

Tetorō leaned back in surprise as a small light lifted from where his hand was on Purrcy's. It moved slowly until it was in front of Gareth. There was a tiny pop and a shower of tiny colored sparks in red, white, and blue. Tetorō stared as Gareth started laughing, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Tetorō shook his head and looked at Purrcy in the code realm. She was still out, but an ear twitched, acknowledging his presence. He was about to leave her there when a light in the code realm caught his attention, like a little will 'o the wisp, and he followed it up and into her control center. He watched what played on one of the screens until it winked back out to black, then returned to her and Nyanta's room.

"She's still fighting," he said to Gareth. "She hasn't given up yet."

Gareth nodded. "No. It wouldn't be like her."

"Michael, can you come see me for just a minute?" Tetorō called on the chat line.

"Be right there," came back and he was. "What's up?" came as his head poked into the room.

"Got something for you," Tetorō said holding out a closed hand. "From a pioneer we know."

Michael's eyes lit up and he walked in and closed the door. He glanced at Gareth. "She gave me a mini firework," he said with a little smile, "after I called her a pansy."

Michael nodded, happy with that, and held out his hand to Tetorō. Tetorō opened his hand, holding it over Michael's hand. Michael looked surprised, then went inside to look at it. When he came back, his eyes were hard and he gave Tetorō a nod. "Thanks. Let me know if you need me again."

"I will," Tetorō promised. Michael nodded at them all and gave Minori a smile, then left them alone again.

"It's okay, Minori," Tetorō said, smiling at her, too. "It won't be too much longer before we'll have her back, too."

Minori looked at him with a smile. "After that story, how can I doubt it?"

-:-:-:-:-

Touya watched as Brenner walked into the kitchen past him. He wasn't sure about sending in one of the Americans. Nyanta was not only private, he was very traditional. Isuzu and Rudy were sitting quietly, being moral support, and they eyed Brenner with almost as much suspicion as Touya was, though they kept their faces just as smooth.

"Mister Nyanta," Brenner said calmly when he was a respectful distance away. "Michael's sent me." Nyanta looked at him, his arms still folded from when he'd entered the room and taken his position leaning against the dish drying counter. He didn't look inclined to talk and an ear twitched.

"If I've been sent," Brenner said, still staying calm, "then it means you're having a crisis of faith." Nyanta raised an eyebrow of whiskers at that, then relaxed slightly, his tail twisting slightly. It wasn't necessarily a good thing. It was both a sign he'd relaxed...and that he'd gone into fighting-ready mode. "What question got asked to a false face that should have been asked to God?" It was a point blank question, asked with the calmness of one unafraid to face live fire.

Nyanta stared in surprise, hit in the gut by the question. He turned his face away. "The question asked tonight is irrelevant."

"It's good you understand that much. So, what's the question you should have asked, or to put it another way, what's the question you're afraid to face?"

"If I'm afurraid to face a question, then why should I allow it to be spoken as if reality?"

"Because only in facing it down and fighting it directly with truth will it become dead. As long as it remains a monster in the dark, you'll remain afraid of it and it will eat you until you're the one who's dead." Again harsh words spoken straight, though still just as calmly.

Nyanta's ears twisted as he considered the floor and his response. With a sigh, he asked, "Are mew the guild councilor?"

"Yes. I'm the chaplain who helps them all face death, daily." Brenner was open.

Nyanta's ears stilled and stood upright and his eyes locked onto Brenner. "Very well." Touya nearly fell on the floor. "I am afurraid of death." Touya couldn't tell if it was a challenge, or an honest request for help.

"Why?" Brenner asked mildly. "And answer it honestly. There isn't an answer that I'm afraid of."

"Because it's the only thing that stops purrogress. It is possible to recover from anything with enough patience, understanding, and time, ...and assistance if necessary, but death cannot be recovered from." Nyanta paused, then added, "And a lingering, slow death that creeps up on mew cannot be denied, for all the medical effort mew might put into purreventing it. It means mew can see it eat meowr future before meowr eyes, no matter how much life mew try to live before it arrives."

"It's true for every mortal," Brenner agreed softly. "You've watched your own come for you, and escaped it." Nyanta's ear flicked. "What's that done to you?"

Nyanta was quiet for a long time. Brenner merely kept him company, then asked, "Is that healthy? And what  _should_ you be doing instead?"

Nyanta looked at him in irritation. "Mew aren't much of a councilor."

Brenner raised an eyebrow. " _You're_ a psychologist. You've had more training than I. I think your own brain is quite capable of answering itself. If you're not willing to face it even to that level, then I'll make you say it openly, if you wish."

Nyanta looked away again, then sighed. "Who do we rely on, for it to be a healthy recovery?"

Brenner tipped his head. "Mister Nyanta, you rely first on yourself. Then you rely on someone who can help you face the fear properly - a therapist, or councilor, or even someone who sees life in its fullness and refuses to be held down by the negative in life. But if you can't trust yourself, you still need to be working towards it always. How did your wife relate to you once you knew you had a terminal illness?"

"She worried about how she would be taken care of. She worried about if I was comfortable enough. She worried about our son."

Brenner nodded, "She added to your own worries, then?" Nyanta's ear agreed. "Can you separate out her worries from yours and set them aside?" It only took Nyanta about one and a half minutes before he took a breath and looked for more. "Will it help you to place the fear in the hands of a benevolent God who is all knowing and loving and trust that all life has a purpose?"

Nyanta tipped his head and thought about that. "I already can trust that all life has a purrpose, but I am already angry if there is a God."

Brenner nodded. "Well, you'll have to work that out, since God made us all get to have the big rest in the end for all the hard work we put into living life. Myself, I'm looking forward to getting to rest from all the pain and effort, though I love life while I'm living." He considered what else he might say.

Nyanta leaned forward. "I will put more effort into facing it purroperly," he said, "rather than relying solely on the strength of others...though I will also purroperly rely on the strength of others until I can stand on my own." He looked at Brenner. "I will also purroperly lean on Purrcy, rather than hang on to her despurrately. It is a thing I'm still trying to learn."

Brenner smiled a small smile. "If that's all it is, we'll help. We all have courage to spare as well. If you can't rely on her, rely on us. We're here to keep you both up and running. ...And I'm always on call if you need to talk. It's hardest for those who are trained to listen to learn to talk. ...Say, next Tuesday, at 1 p.m.?"

Nyanta laughed at Brenner. "Mew'll schedule it?"

"Of course," Brenner raised an eyebrow. "You won't do it otherwise. But a scheduled therapy visit you won't miss."

Nyanta shook his head, then leaned back against the counter again. "Alright. I'll be at the tree, Tuesday, at 1 p.m."

"As will I," Brenner promised. He walked to the refrigerator and pulled out an apple. He pulled out a knife and sat at the cutting table and started peeling the apple. When it was cut, he passed around slices to everyone, starting with Nyanta.

Touya shook his head and looked out the other direction of the door to Naotsugu. When he had Naotsugu's eye, he nodded. Brenner had done what needed to be done.

-:-:-:-:-

When Michael walked back from being called by Tetorō, Naotsugu looked at him. Michael gave him a nod, then stood waiting. When Touya gave Naotsugu the nod, Naotsugu stood and headed for Shiroe's office. Michael followed him. Naotsugu raised an eyebrow, but only looked at him questioningly at the door. Michael shook his head and motioned he should open the door to let them in. Naotsugu nodded and they went in after a knock and a brief pause.

Shiroe and Akatsuki were sitting on the couch, side by side, waiting for them, though Shiroe's eyes went just a little worried to see Michael. Naotsugu wanted to give the report, but... he looked at Michael out of the corner of his eye, then gave Shiroe a nod. "It's good," he said. Shiroe relaxed slightly and looked at Michael. Michael pointed to the ceiling.

Shiroe's eyebrows shot up. He paused for a second to set the permissions, then nodded. "It's clean."

Michael gave a nod. "I wrapped the loop on the walk in." He held out his hand and small light rose from the palm. "This is the answer to Nyanta's question to Purrcy. She's in there, in a limited sense. Enough to give Gareth a tiny firework answer to his demand she keep fighting and give Tetorō this to give to me." Shiroe was on the edge of his seat. "But before I open it, our chaplain's got Nyanta calmed down and facing forward again and scheduled for future proper visits to repair what needs repairing so this kind of slip doesn't happen again."

"Good," Shiroe relaxed back into the couch. Both sides were good news. Naotsugu hoped for his sake whatever the sparkly was, was as well.

Michael walked over to Shiroe and held his hand down. "Put your hand over mine and relax," he ordered calmly. Naotsugu and Akatsuki both tensed just a little. "It won't eat him," Michael said to them.

Shiroe looked at Michael closely, then reached up and placed his hand over the sparkle on Michael's palm. He held very still for a moment, then remembered to breathe. He sat back against the couch, his eyes not seeing the room.

His eyes eventually moved up to look Michael in the eyes, then he blinked and Naotsugu couldn't tell anymore what he might have been seeing. "Thank you, Michael," Shiroe said quietly. "You and Tetorō have erased that from the history?"

Michael shook his head. "Don't need to, for us, though I've made sure it isn't in yours. There was another piece of it for just the two of us. It took care of the history for us."

Shiroe nodded, satisfied. "They still should spend the night apart, and I should be called as soon as Purrcy's awake in the morning. He'll need to face her properly before breakfast. Michael, please ask some of the chefs from the sub-guild to take over for that in the morning."

"Yessir," Michael responded promptly.

Shiroe looked at both men and nodded, releasing them to return to the main room. Naotsugu was glad to see he was much better. Whatever Michael had passed on to him had him in deep thought as soon as they were at the door. Naotsugu closed it behind them. "Did we just leapfrog?" Naotsugu asked Michael.

Michael looked at him. "Perhaps," was the only answer he would give.

"What?" There were about twenty-one faces looking at them that weren't going to settle for only hearing that.

Michael looked down, crossed his arms, then held up four fingers off one elbow. "One pop tart popped." The faces looking at them settled, looking grimly satisfied.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy woke slowly, the sound of rain distant, being on the other side of the wall. It was soothing. The light snores of others in the room were as well, though as she woke more, they weren't normal. She sniffed in a big breath of air, then smiled. "Well," she said softly. "What a treat, to wake to a pile of kittens. It would be nice to have that happen more frequently. And on a rainy day, too. Nothing better." She started to purr, then looked around her to place them spatially in the room.

Tetorō was next to her in Nyanta's normal spot, curled up and the one snoring lightly. He looked rather soundly asleep. Purrcy smiled. He'd probably stayed up too late watching over her longer than he needed to. She could smell Minori close by, but couldn't see her, so assumed she was somewhere overhead. Gareth was on her other side, though in a sleeping bag. His eyes were open and looking at her, but not like he understood what he was seeing yet. She smiled at him and kept purring.

Slowly a hand came out of the sleeping bag. She reached out her hand. As soon as Gareth was holding her hand, his eyes closed again. It only took about two seconds before his eyes sprang open again. She held onto his hand so he couldn't snatch it back like he wanted and her whiskers twitched upward. "Good morning," she said quietly to not wake the others. "I take it everyone was worried?"

Gareth nodded, then yawned widely. "We're supposed to let Guildmaster Shiroe know you're up, but are you really up?"

"Not really, no. I still need to find out where I am and all that. Just woke up and I'm enjoying having a pile of kittens with me and the rain."

Gareth blushed to be called a kitten, but listened like she was. "Yeah," he finally said. "A nice kind of morning to wake to." He sighed. "Except...since I woke up to purring and my eyes closed, and I told them our story - my story - last night, I thought I was back there again. That wasn't quite so nice, though to have you really here, that was better."

Purrcy pressed his hand briefly, but didn't let go. Neither of them was quite awake yet. Purrcy let her gaze go back to the ceiling again as she thought back to the previous evening, trying to put how she got here in her bed without a Nyanta and a small pile of kittens instead into the pattern of things. She closed her eyes, then sighed. "Well, damn. That's inconvenient."

She considered a bit more, then finally remembered. She'd been standing in Nyanta's arms, rather comfortably, when he'd asked her a question. Just at the same moment, her warning alarms had all gone off inside and she'd jumped from her fox hole sideways into a hidden reverse mirror room for protection. Quite a large number of her automatic defensive and offensive spells had gone off and she'd been barely able to hold on to semi-consciousness in the code realm, giving up completely on holding it in the base realm.

Tetorō had come looking for her, she did know that, and the automatic code that waited for such emergency times had reacted to his presence. That was good. From what she could remember of that semi-awareness state, it had performed properly, too - so even better. It had been quiet after that and she'd just gone to sleep, not having anything better to do. She sighed. Well, things would have to sit as they sat for now. She'd find out more from Shiroe and the rest as the day began to move forward.

"Well, I'm glad you're breathing, since the collar's at the darkest I've ever seen it when you're supposed to be awake," came a teasing voice from the left of her, "but I don't know what to say to Nyanta about you holding hands with another man."

Gareth released her immediately and she was sure he was blushing. "I woke up first," Purrcy said with a smile for Tetorō, "and woke him up to a nightmare, sadly, since I started purring before he was all the way awake. It was my fault."

Tetorō waved a hand from his prone position. "I won't tell for that, then. Not after hearing the story last night." Tetorō rolled over and stretched.

"I would think not, since then I'd have to tattle that you actually slept not only in her bed with her but in his spot," Gareth tormented back, sitting up to stretch. Tetorō actually paled.

Purrcy smiled and patted him on the head. "It's okay, Tetorō. I enjoyed getting to wake to a basket of kittens. It was very warm and friendly. I hope you got enough sleep, though. I'm sure you stayed up far too late watching over me when all I did was sleep."

Tetorō shook his head as he left the futon to sit up next to it. He ran his hand through his hair and looked over Purrcy's head, then smiled. "Good morning, Minori-chan."

"Good morning," Minori's voice came from overhead.

Purrcy lifted her chin to look up and saw Minori was sitting up now as well. "Good morning, Minori. Thank you for staying, too. I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable."

Minori shook her head. "I just fetched my mattress and bedding from my room. Hang on and I'll send them back." She stood and there was a brief sound, then there was a brush in her hand and she was walking around to kneel next to Tetorō. As she started in on brushing her hair, trying not to yawn, Purrcy shook her head.

She looked around at the three. Gareth's sleeping bag was gone already, too, and a comb was going through his hair. "Did you really need to stay awake that late? I'm very sorry."

"Well...there was some question as to if you would actually wake up," Gareth said calmly. "You looked somewhere between dead and very unconscious, though the collar never did go to black."

"That's good," Purrcy said. She looked back at Tetorō. "Whatever happened last night, I've been blocked from the code realm. You'll have to check to see if it means a rewrite on skills. Whatever it was that attacked set off every one of my emergency alarms, etc. I only had enough time to jump to my safest hole."

Tetorō looked a bit stricken, but he nodded. "I wondered if that's what it was. You were still there, though."

Purrcy nodded. "I remember your visit. But from when I actually fell asleep, I don't know anything. I've woken up outside first and can't get back in."

Tetorō went looking inside, rather cautiously. The rest of them waited, Minori's brush shushing through her hair. When Tetorō returned he shook his head. "You're in there, but still sleeping, rather like a hibernation. The upper levels haven't been erased, but you've definitely been blocked out. I'll take Michael in there from a different direction later, since when I go this way it's only along the tracer, but it's looking rather dangerous. If you do wake up in there, don't move until we say it's safe."

"Okay," Purrcy was happy with that solution for now. She carefully sat up and the others helped her, though she probably didn't need it. She was just being cautious. It was better to make sure the inside was okay before moving the outside, after all.

Gareth stood and walked to the door. Standing outside it was Ground Safety. "We're up. Pass on the word. We should let her get to the WC first though, I would think." Ground Safety nodded and Gareth closed the door again until Purrcy was on her feet and Minori had rolled the futon and put it away.

Purrcy did a quick sweep of the fur on her head and around her ears with the brush she'd been gifted by Raynessia. She sighed. "Turn around, boys." They did and she ditched the clothes and did a quick brush of the rest of her fur. Thinking about it, she decided not to cast any magic at all just yet. Not knowing what was going on inside, it would be wise to be just as paranoid as normal. So she picked an outfit that was in her list instead and put that on.

"Umm...are you sure that one?" Tetorō asked when they were allowed to turn around again.

"Why not?" Purrcy asked.

"Isn't it rather cold for this time of year?" Minori asked.

"I wear fur?" Purrcy asked. "I didn't want to create one this morning. Isn't it fine?"

"Is it the  _only_ one you have that you don't create on the fly?" Tetorō asked suspicious now.

"No, I suppose not," Purrcy said calmly, "but I want to wear it. I don't think I have at all for over a year now, you know?"

"Year?" both Minori and Tetorō asked. "But..., but just last time...," Minori protested.

" _I_  didn't wear it, Minori-chan," Purrcy said kindly. They gave up.

Gareth folded his arms at the door. "Why are they never direct?" he asked her. She shrugged. He looked at the other two. "Just why is it a problem?"

"Ah," they both blushed. "It's her favorite...," Minori said.

"And that's a problem?" Gareth asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Tetorō rubbed the back of his head. "It's also...Nyanta's...weakness? Or perhaps...his favorite also? Except, she used it to tease him last time, so...I - we're not sure...how it will be taken?"

"Oh? Is that what it is?" Purrcy looked at them in surprise, then down at her flowy black and sparkly outfit. "Is that a problem?"

Gareth narrowed his eyes. "Let's let Guildmaster Shiroe decide, shall we?"

That made the two native Japanese relax and they nodded. Purrcy shrugged, not understanding it, but Shiroe often made clothing decisions for the rest of them when it was important, so went with it.


	27. Recovery and First Contact

They walked out of the bedroom and to the first floor bathroom and cycled through it, though when Minori asked if she could go in with Purrcy, that made Purrcy raise an eyebrow again. "Really, was it so terrible? I don't mind it, I guess," she said, trying to soothe Minori. Not like she hadn't shared a bathroom with children since they were small and had to be close by mother or stand at the door and wail until she opened it again. It just was a tad odd Minori would want to. It did make her wonder just what she'd missed, to have them making such a fuss, even over her selection of clothing. She couldn't find out since she couldn't get into the code realm to review the history. Inconvenient, but surprisingly rather freeing for once.

When they'd cycled through, waiting for the men to go through individually so Purrcy had two sets of eyes on her at all times (she sighed), they walked to Shiroe's door. He answered their knock and let them in. He also looked Purrcy up and down as if he wasn't sure he was willing to approve the choice of clothing and she twitched a little irritably, but tried for patience until she knew what was going on. Shiroe waved her to sit, and she took her usual spot on the opposing love-seat from his couch. Minori sat next to her. Tetorō sat in the chair on her other side and Gareth stood behind her. "How are you feeling, Purrcy?" Shiroe asked, his normally fierce gaze piercing her, but more concerned than anything else.

"Fine. I suppose a bit floaty and warm, since I'm locked out of the code realm and got to wake up nicely to kittens and rain. It was a more quiet morning than normal, all considered," she answered.

Shiroe blinked. "Locked out?"

"Yes. The last thing I remember happening outside was Nyanta asking me a question at the same time that a barrage hit me inside. I barely had time to escape to my stronghold before where I had been was hit hard. All my warnings were set off on the way, quite fast actually, and every defense and blackmail insurance I had went off, too. It was rather much. The body hit unconsciousness almost as fast, though I managed to hold on to semi-consciousness inside until Tetorō showed up and left. Once I knew he'd checked on me, there wasn't much to do but fall asleep, so I did. If you'd needed me, he would have woken me up, so I didn't worry too much at that point. When I woke up this morning, it was outside and I couldn't get inside. He assures me I'm still there inside, though, so for now, it's wait and see, I think."

Shiroe blinked and looked at Tetorō, then nodded. Tetorō took a breath. "She's not completely here, either, near as I can tell." He waved at the necklace that was still more a collar. "It sat at dark blue all night and only went up to that color when she woke up. It's lower than it should be, for Purrcy - _I_ think - even for when she's not got coding going on." He ran a hand through his hair. "I'm going to have to take Michael in with me to look at the outside of what happened in her zone. What little I can see when I get inside with her, it looks a bit frightening. Like she said - blasted, really. Her statuses still read about the same as before. I think she might have taken a hit in some of the points on a few, like she'd been Cathedraled and penalized sort of with point reductions. That's all I've got at the moment."

Shiroe's eyes went to Minori. She nodded. "She's Hahaue, but not quite filled in. It might be some of the memory loss, maybe? It's rather slight, but noticeable." She looked at Purrcy and put her hand on Purrcy's forearm, then looked at Shiroe again. "And, she doesn't know why we think she chose something to wear she might not have wanted to."

Shiroe's eyes snapped sharply at that and Purrcy was even more confused. "What does my clothing selection have to do with being attacked in the code realm?"

"Do you remember what question Nyanta asked you last night at the time of the attack?" Shiroe asked her.

Purrcy frowned and thought back to it. "No," she shook her head. "I was too distracted trying to save myself. I wasn't able to catch it. Since I can't access the history since I can't get inside, I can't retrieve it." Shiroe's eyes flicked to Tetorō and back to Purrcy.

"Do you remember what he was talking to you about before the attack?" Shiroe asked, his eyes narrowing.

Purrcy thought about it. "Umm..not really? I remember standing on the roof, enjoying the smell of fresh air and the coming rain and fall, and he walked out and wrapped his arms around me, which was warm, and I asked him...a question and he answered it...I think he asked me one but it was pretty soon after that I got attacked, so it's rather lost in that panic."

Shiroe paused, then asked, "Do you remember what happened before you were on the rooftop?"

Purrcy blinked. "Ah...," she hadn't thought that far back yet. "Um...what did we do yesterday? Get me started at the beginning."

"We went to the gate," he helpfully supplied.

"Oh, right. Yes, I remember all of that. And lunch and telling Clocktower to come with us and ignoring that all of you wanted to get the approvals through the right chain of command. And then we went to the Guild Hall." She stopped there and frowned. "You let us in the Round Table conference room and we looked around...." She shook her head. "Why is it fuzzy after that? I know we had important things to talk about, and I'm sure I'll regret forgetting them, but...it's not coming." She looked up into Shiroe's eyes. He was rather shocked.

"That far back?" he asked. She nodded, feeling a bit miserable. It was bigger than just a surprise attack. It was something she might not want to face just yet.

Minori's hand on her arm tightened and Purrcy looked at her. Minori gave her a comforting smile. "I'm sure the important bits will come back," she said. "And Mister Shiroe can tell them to you again. He remembers them. He was there, after all." Purrcy nodded. That was true.

She looked at Shiroe again. He was looking at her with an oddly calculating look. He leaned forward. "Purrcy, how do you feel about Nyanta right now?"

"Right now?" She frowned again. "Um...he's nice?" She shook her head. That wasn't right. There was something wrong about that. Her fist clenched. "It's like I can't focus on him. When I woke up, it was comfortable to have the three of them there with me. It wasn't strange he wasn't there, though I did recognize he should have been, or would normally have been." She was struggling against something to even talk about Nyanta. "It's so much easier to not think much about him, just have him be a presence in the air beside me - comfortable and comforting, but nothing more."

She frowned and pressed into it again, then stopped. "And when I want to understand why, or push against it, I'm...deflected? pushed back? ...something. It's not quite painful, but it's like the harder I push the more there's a sense of impending danger, maybe? And a reluctance." Purrcy blinked and looked back up at Shiroe. "I can't say that's how it will be when I see him, but that's how it feels so far."

"Hmm...which part of you chose what you're wearing?" he asked, though he looked like he was trying to not be alarmed. His foot had twitched - the one over the knee of the other leg, and his fingers were curling.

Purrcy shook her head. "Something's not right. That was too much like converting to wild cat."

"What was?" he asked her.

"How I was watching you just now. But to answer your question...no I can't, I'm doing it again." She stopped, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She let it out and didn't open her eyes. Instead she lifted her hand and made a hand sign. Once her hand had dropped, she opened her eyes. "Did that answer your question?"

Shiroe's eyes were dancing. "Yes, it did, thank you. Do you know what you just did?"

"No. Not the specifics." Tetorō was snorting laughs next to her, trying to hide them. She looked at him with wide eyes. "Glad it entertained you." He had to let it out and waved an apology at her. She shrugged.

Gareth patted her on the shoulder. "We're just glad to know you're still in there," he said, his own voice rather pleased.

"And I would go where?" she asked.

"Anywhere, really," Tetorō answered a little more sober. "You tend to do that, after all."

Purrcy smiled at him. "I suppose. But not this morning. Mornings are for the children." Minori's grip on her tightened again and Tetorō nodded.

"Yes, Purrcy, they are." Shiroe's smooth voice caught her attention and she looked at him, her eyes captivated by his. "Your mornings have always belonged to the children."

"Shiroe, why do you sound like a hypnotist?" she asked as if her mouth wasn't her own. She was feeling a bit like she was drowning. "And was that really you talking just now?" Her eyes slipped closed.

-:-:-:-:-

  
Tetorō swore softly and grabbed for Purrcy. Gareth got there first and held her up by her shoulders.

Shiroe waited, watching Purrcy closely. He could tell that Tetorō was inside, watching from there. He hoped the Hacker was safely hidden while doing it, though. Purrcy shuddered and lifted her head. "...Guildmaster Shiroe."

Shiroe blinked, then tipped his head slightly. "And shall I call you Inari? Or do you have a name of your own, unborrowed?"

Silence for a bit, then, "It is sufficient." It seemed like there was a bit of a lag time, rather than like it had stopped for thought.

"I presume you're not allowing Purrcy to remember this either?"

"...No." Shiroe nodded, unsurprised. He waited.

When nothing more was forthcoming, he asked, "Has a contract been breached?"

"...No, but a punishment has been applied. It was unacceptable."

Shiroe looked up towards the ceiling casually and took a breath. "Understood. We will refrain in the future." He paused a little, then asked, "How long will the punishment last? When will it be lifted?" There wasn't an answer. He sighed. "It is unacceptable that it be a permanent punishment. You will break your part of the contract, and I will be unable to fulfill my part. Purrcy is required to fulfill it, with her full knowledge and capabilities intact."

"Purrcy the Adventurer cannot remember the Forbidden question nor its answer," Inari answered.

"That is acceptable," Shiroe agreed. "However if she is to participate in today's meeting, which is required to move forward, she must be able to remember the events of the past afternoon. It's acceptable that the events from the time after she arrived on the roof of the guild hall in the evening until she was awake again in the morning this morning be forgotten."

There was a longer pause this time, then, "...That is acceptable."

Before Inari could leave, Shiroe quickly said, "If the contracts have not been breached, you must also not break the second contract. She is now Nyanta's. You cannot take her from him." There was no response so he continued. "She must be allowed to remember him and her place beside him."

"...It is his punishment."

"He has also accepted it for the same duration of time as just stated and will refrain in the future." There was a change in Purrcy's face and Shiroe went with the stern look. "You also stood in need of correction. He was not wrong before to do so. You have made incorrect assumptions. They are attempting to help you understand so that past errors are not repeated. You have incomplete and faulty information mixed in with the correct information. Your source was tainted."

"...My source was elegant."

Shiroe couldn't keep the cynical look off his face. "Thank you, on behalf of those who created it, but it is still tainted with falsehoods. Because we have been willing to form the contracts with you, we are working to correct those falsehoods so that you can properly move forward without incorporating more errors as we strive to correct the errors that have already been introduced."

Purrcy's look went to one more like anger and Shiroe drew a breath. "You chose the Caretaker because she showed through her actions that she would not stray from the path of least error. Even you must acknowledge that doesn't mean there will be zero error. Nyanta has been shown his error and has agreed to turn from it. We will see that he continues in that path. It is sufficient."

"...It is provisionally acceptable," Inari finally allowed.

"In what way?" Shiroe was quick to ask for the clarification.

"...If Nyanta the Adventurer asks another Forbidden question, he shall not be remembered."

Shiroe considered that answer. "If he _knowingly_ asks another Forbidden question, it is acceptable. No Adventurer or Person of the Land can know all the Forbidden questions, to refrain from asking them beforehand. If one is asked in error, it is acceptable to confirm the question was properly asked and to refuse to answer it without punishment if it was unknown to be a Forbidden question."

There was one of the longer pauses of consideration, then, "...The provision is acceptable."

"Mine or yours?" he wanted clarification on this point.

"...Guildmaster Shiroe's."

"It is acceptable." He sighed to himself in relief, but didn't relax yet. Since it did seem to work on the order of Oracles, needing questions to answer, he asked one more. "Are all present outstanding issues currently resolved or in progress satisfactorily?"

That took longer to answer. Likely because there was more to get done. "...Repairs must be made."

"To Purrcy's code structures?" he asked.

"...Affirmative."

"Are Tetorō and Michael together sufficient?"

"...It will be allowed." That was an odd answer. Shiroe raised an eyebrow at Tetorō.

Tetorō considered it, then answered, "It's sufficient as long as Purrcy is allowed to work unhindered."

"...It will be allowed," Inari answered. Tetorō nodded.

"Is there anything else?" Shiroe asked.

"...Negative."

Shiroe uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "May I ask a question? It isn't necessary to answer it if the path is required to find the answer."

"...It is acceptable," Inari allowed.

"If we can determine a way to make it possible to leave Theldesia and return at will, is it allowable?"

"...That question does not have an answer at this time."

"It is acceptable." He would rather have had a more definitive answer, but he wasn't surprised by it. "There are those who would like to have it become possible, but it is a subset. Please consider it. I am."

"...Understood." Purrcy's eyes were closing again. Shiroe waited, though he looked at Gareth this time to warn him to hold her upright again.

This time Purrcy didn't rouse quickly so they lay her down on the love-seat, Minori moving to the chair on the other side of it to stay sitting close by. "It's reprogramming?" Gareth asked. Shiroe and Tetorō both nodded. Gareth relaxed into informal attention and they waited.

"Naotsugu," Shiroe called up a direct chat. He filled the Guardian in on the details he needed to know and ended with, "Once Michael and Tetorō have confirmed she's okay in the code realm, and she's on her feet again, we're done. You can bring him down. Wait for us in the main room."

"Roger that," Naotsugu said and cut the chat.

Shiroe continued to watch Purrcy, waiting. He wondered if she would really return to what she had been before, or if the new way of being an Oracle would remain from this point on.

-:-:-:-:-

"Michael." It was Tetorō.

"Yes?" he asked, still somewhat sleepy from a night of light sleep.

"Are you still lying down?"

"Close enough," Michael answered.

"Meet me inside."

"Roger."

"Hey," Tetorō said about a second later, inside the code realm.

"What's up?" Michael asked.

"She doesn't remember the question, but it's because she was blasted at the same time and the panic overwhelmed any memory of it." Michael thought that would be a normal reaction. "The World AI did it."

Michael stopped and stared at Tetorō. "And she survived?"

"Yes. She managed to leap to a safe box just before her fox hole was hit. I've been to see her in there, but we need to go and see what kind of damage was done. I've also told her to stay put until we tell her it's safe to come out."

"I hope she said yes," Michael said with feeling, and going along with Tetorō much more carefully now.

"Yes, she did. She's being good. Actually, she was being _too_ good. The World AI had her locked down. Shiroe's got her wiggled free, though, I think, since it came to talk to him directly through her this time. It said she wouldn't remember that conversation, though, just like the agreement was that she wouldn't remember the time from when Nyanta asked her the question until she woke up this morning."

"Got'cha," Michael said.

Tetorō slowed them down. "I see why you've been having us fly up in the stratosphere," Michael commented as they began to see the damage that had been done. They very carefully made their way forward, looking for traps even up in the heights they were in. Something that could blast the code realm that badly could leave awful things behind. Tetorō shuddered next to him and went as small as he could. Michael preferred transparent, himself. And very, very thin. Kind of like wind.

"I'm glad she got out," Tetorō whispered. Michael agreed. Purrcy tended to bury herself in the landscape pretty deep. There was a fifty foot gaping hole where her foxhole had been, about fifteen feet wide. "But, why would it want to kill her?" Michael shook his head. That didn't make sense to him either.

He snagged Tetorō and pulled him back the way the destruction came from. It had moved like a wide fireball and scored the surface quite a ways back from the hole. They followed the scarred surface, seeing where her mirrors and blockades had been blasted and left as tiny pieces and dust. "Did it expect her to be stronger than she is?" Michael had no answer to that one either. They finally paused when the scoring seemed to be lighter. There was a position farther in the distance where they could see it had 'landed', though they were pretty sure that wasn't its origination point.

"It went straight for her once it hit Theldesia," Michael commented. "That's pretty massive, but then it's one of the few beings that knows where she is. Let's go back and look a little closer."

"Okay," Tetorō said.

Michael picked up the lint and pet it to calm Tetorō down, carrying it back since he could fly faster. He stopped to inspect the farther out structures that had been blasted on the way in. "Didn't even slow it down," he shook his head. When they were over the main site again Tetorō left him and went back to slightly larger size, more like mouse, and sat on Michael's shoulder. "How far did she jump?"

Tetorō looked around. "Well, to the closest one, but if she's awake, she's jumped three to five more now. She's like that, too, you know."

Michael nodded. "I wonder if the code realm heals itself up or if we have to clean this up?" The mouse on his shoulder shrugged. "Shall we go take a closer look?" He dropped them slowly, the both of them scanning the area carefully for any danger.

"What did it?" Tetorō asked.

"If you have any ideas, feel free to let us know."

Michael froze. Neither he nor Tetorō had ever run into another Hacker just by chance, only by educational choice. "It sounded earlier like you know this one?" It was even another voice altogether, perhaps Arabic.

"Did that one indeed survive?" It was an Indian accent, which was perhaps most surprising.

"It was rather surprising to have the line suddenly ablaze." Australian.

"How did you all follow it in?" Michael asked. "You all come from a long ways away."

"Code is easy to follow. Not as large in here as you think." It was the first one.

"You're from the States and under twenty-one." Michael got a snort for his trouble, but it was enough.

"I think...," Tetorō said carefully. "Were all of you following the blast, or following after something else?"

"You don't know? Of the DNA fingerprint?" the Australian.

"No. We just know the Caretaker," Tetorō answered.

"It's good to hear she has some to watch over her," British. Just how many were there?

"Umm... Knowing her, she would want to know you cared enough to come check on her," Tetorō offered. "Would you care to wait a bit until we can unearth her and let her say hello?"

"Not wise." An older gentleman's voice.

Michael shook his head. "No. He's right. If you can tell me where she is right now, then you can tell me she shouldn't meet you."

"You the geezer bodyguard?" the youngster teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Michael answered back mildly.

The youngster laughed at him. Michael let him. It wasn't skin off his nose. He felt a shift in the area and smiled. Tetorō smiled, too, and lifted off Michael's shoulder to stand in his normal form.

"Oh, there's two of you. I thought it was one talking to himself." That was the woman in the group. "Is that the Caretaker?"

"No, no," Tetorō said. "I'm the apprentice." He waved his hand. "She's come herself, actually, though in the same way you all have, I guess, since we can't see you, and she promised she wouldn't come out of hiding herself just yet."

"Oho?" the potentially Arabic one.

"Hello, everyone," Purrcy said kindly. "Thank you for your efforts in behalf of the π."

There were chuckles around. "We're glad to hear you're still okay, dear," from the woman again.

"Thank you. It was very surprising, actually, though I was prepared sufficiently, I suppose."

"Did you expect it, then?" the Brit.

"Of course." Purrcy sighed. "It came a bit sooner than I expected it to, though, so I'm not sure what got set off and started that probably shouldn't have. The World AI is rather juvenile still. I think it rather over did it?"

"That's what it looks like to me," Tetorō said with a huff, unhappy. "Why's it a fifty foot hole, Hahaue?"

Purrcy gave a small laugh. "Because I set explosives around in my fox holes, Apprentice. I'm sure it didn't mean for my death, but there are always things laying around that I don't want found, you know."

Tetorō glared. "Maybe so, but if they go off when you're in there, that's not good."

"They're set for my absence. They don't go off until I'm gone," Purrcy tried to placate Tetorō.

"Oh, well then," Tetorō relented, "I guess that's a little better, but still. This looks awful. And it did send something at you that meant to do strenuous damage."

"I think it knows I'd jump, dear. As for the rest of you, could you please give me the reports of how far you've made it and what you've learned to this time? It might be too early...and it might be just right since it decided to move first. And it might have been trying to distract one of you from reaching an answer we need," Purrcy said.

"That is an astute observation, indeed, " the older gentleman said. "I've followed the breadcrumb all the way up and over to the others." There were intakes of breath. "I've left the trail."

"Have you determined if the Overwritten and Observers are in two different databases or are they same creatures?" Purrcy asked.

"They are separate, but I was just about to confirm one final data point. ...I believe there is a link between the two."

Purrcy's next words contained a frown. "Why were you prevented from confirming that to the point you were thrown all the way back down here?"

There was silence. Then, "You have made an assumption."

"Ah...sorry. I have. Please forgive me," Purrcy was quick to be humble.

The gentleman forgave her and answered, "I don't know why I was prevented from it at this time, however I won't let it deter me."

"Thank you. If the path is laid between the two, I will be able to understand better if my experiment for our own path is a correct solution to both species."

"It is my honor to assist in the revolution."

There was a brief pause, then the youngster said, "I've been walking that path. I want to get home so bad." There was a pause, then, "She made it out, but to where I can't see yet. I've been recording each bit and sending it to the storage tank, but I think there's another...well...how to translate that...five minutes, but I'm working by bit, so it's taking a while. And I don't want to be surprised and have it happen in two minutes, if you get my drift."

"Understandable," Purrcy said. "Thank you for being brave enough to take that assignment on. Mark with the DNA the point at which you think the curve begins, and again when you see the window. If we have to trace it to you and you've already gone home we'll know approximately where the door is."

"Okay. I'm hoping we can't slip over without the other half."

"Me, too," Purrcy replied kindly. "But we also hope to find the way home in a way that doesn't lose anyone who wants to arrive safely."

"Are people going to be able to stay?" one asked.

"Some want to," Purrcy answered. "The Caretaker of the Adventurers has been asked to, if possible, find the two-way door. We are currently keeping it under consideration."

"Has the ι made any indication if it will be possible?" It was the older gentleman.

Tetorō asked, "The ι?"

"The World AI," Purrcy explained.

"Ah, the Caretaker of the Adventurers asked if that was allowable to the 'ι'. The answer he received was that it didn't have an answer yet. Usually that means the Caretaker hasn't gathered enough data yet." Tetorō answered.

"You're working together?" the Australian asked.

"Yes," Purrcy answered. "We will be possibly coming to visit the remainder within the coming year in order to create the abovegound network, unless our efforts find a solution before then. If any of you know of them in your areas, please get word to them that the potential is there for it to begin in that time frame."

"Is this why you're unafraid to have this conference?" The one from India.

"That and I'm preventing your discovery even still. My apprentice learned a very useful skill that I employ now for such things," Purrcy said.

"Such a useful apprentice," it was said dryly but with a smile.

"I'm pleased," Purrcy responded. Tetorō blushed.

The remainder of the Hackers that were present by video and audio feed gave their reports. Most were brief and interesting. When they seemed done, Purrcy asked, "Is there one from the China server here?" There was silence. She frowned. "Well, that will make things difficult where we're going, and it doesn't bode well for their main server, either."

"Why is that?" the most nervous one immediately asked.

"Well, there's a thing I would like you all to understand. Perhaps you can prevent it from happening at your servers. I'll leave a video recording of our solution at the data retrieval site you're already familiar with. It's possible, using the standard magic of this world, to cut the lines of the Adventurers so that our spirits can't return to the moon, or from the moon, in order for us to be resurrected."

"Those who have this done to them wander as Vengeful Spirits, if they are here on the planet. There is a time limit. If the repairs aren't done quickly enough, even our spirit matter will be absorbed back into the planetary system to be reborn as creatures of Theldesia. If that happens we can't return home. If the line is cut so that we're stuck on the moon, then we become as the Observers and Overwritten. Our theory is that they were all killed, sent to the moon, then had their Adventurer Tree of Life equivalent hewn down so that they couldn't return to the planet's surface. They are only able to return now because they've found the hole that links their server to our beta test server."

"It's the same server," the older gentleman said calmly. "It's a different sector, and most likely a different hard drive as well. I suspect it is from an older game, perhaps even the prototype and demonstration fielded to the company to sell _Elder Tales_."

"Oh! That would make a lot of sense!" Purrcy said. Michael could hear her ears perk up. "But...if they were real...I wonder."

"I'll see if I can gain that data while I'm searching," the gentleman said.

"Thank you. It may be extremely important. If they were always game constructs, then we should just close the hole. If they are also creatures brought into the world that need to be returned home, we need to communicate with them. ...I would rather you worked on that with most diligence immediately, actually. We go into China next to face them more directly. I'll see you then, most likely, since I'm planning on sending up a line from there. It's concerning to me that we don't have a Hacker present from there. It might indicate their line has already been cut. I hope we aren't too late. We're taking enough to repair it, just in case. Please make sure that you are also safe where you are. The Maze of Eternity houses them."

"God, that's nearly impossible!" the Australian exclaimed.

"Yes. You can't get in unless you get the right kind of key," Purrcy said. "Please go take a look at the summary video I put out. We already had cut lines, so those without them may be more difficult. I don't know what kind of key they need. No one should be allowed in the Maze past the first level, really, unless it's to make the repair or the strengthening. It's not an _Elder Tales_ programmed dungeon. It's a world creation to meet the requirements of bringing us here."

She paused. "I think that's all I have for this time. If no one has anything else, I'll release the boundary." When there was nothing forthcoming, she gave the timing and everyone slipped away before they could be followed when she took down the mirror room.

Tetorō and Michael looked at each other, then floated down to the surface and started their thorough search of the area, making sure it was uncontaminated.

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


"Here," Naotsugu said, making Nyanta's head pop up to look at him. He was on a chat, not talking to his one-night-stand-roommate. There was a long pause, then, "Roger that." Naotsugu looked at Nyanta. "Purrcy'll be at breakfast. You're not to discuss the time on the roof at all. Shiroe's promised the World AI that will stay forgotten. He says she might not remember the discussion about being the Oracle either, though he fought for her to keep that one. Don't bring it up, just in case." Nyanta dipped an ear of understanding.

Naotsugu paused, then pursed his lips just a little. "He says things were different this time, too. She was a real Oracle this morning and won't remember that either. He's not sure if that's going to be a constant from now on or not. We're to watch for differences, but try to not freak out about them."

Nyanta nodded a little sadly. "She wouldn't be surprised, I would think."

"Probably not," Naotsugu agreed. "He says she didn't remember your question anyway, since she was attacked inside at the same time and had to focus on escaping. He says to blame anything that's a hole for her from that time on that attack, though she's a bit bright for that, so...," he shrugged. Nyanta understood that difficulty, but they could only do their best.

When breakfast was called, they went down late. Nyanta wasn't quite sure what to expect, but then most likely no one did. It was hard to think of a guildmate being changed by something outside themselves, and perhaps even harder to conceive of how something could erase their memories. It worried him. He hadn't been told what his own punishment was yet, though he was sure he would be. He just didn't want it to be that she would also forget him. That would be extremely difficult. He walked down the stairs behind Naotsugu. They stopped behind their seats and waited. Shiroe always came out last, usually because Akatsuki told him the rest of them were ready and he needed to get up and go.

This time Akatsuki opened the door and held it. Shiroe walked out with Purrcy, Tetorō, Minori, and Gareth following him. Minori was holding Purrcy's hand and looking just a little concerned, but not very tense. Tetorō had a wrinkle in his forehead and his eyes went to Michael first. Shiroe was looking at Nyanta. Nyanta carefully kept his attention on Shiroe. He wasn't sure how to handle the glimpse he'd seen of Purrcy.

Shiroe walked to face Nyanta. "I've explained to the World AI that you've recognized your error and are correcting it, and promised that we will see that you hold to it. It wanted to break your contract if you do it again. I was able to negotiate a leniency on the grounds that it isn't possible for anyone to know all of the Forbidden questions in advance. Instead, if you ask one, it has the right of refusal. You must relent immediately or your contract will be voided."

Nyanta bowed his acceptance. "Thank mew," he said, grateful to be granted the escape clause in the future.

"And Nyanta," Shiroe said, pausing, "it was angry enough to make her begin to forget you. I've also fixed that - I hope - but be very careful from now on."

Nyanta trembled slightly and couldn't prevent his distress from going to his whiskers, ears, and tail, though he tried to not let it out all the way. Purrcy had already promised she would never forget him, never leave him. To have the World AI take that promise from them...was more distressing than he'd anticipated. He had to hold very still for a while. Rapiers had no use in this place and time, nor did excessive displays of emotion. He was finally capable of bowing, so he did. It helped him finish getting his emotions under control. "Yes, Shiroe-ichi," he responded very quietly.

Michael stepped forward and Nyanta turned to face him, continuing to carefully keep himself under control. He didn't have the same restrictions for Michael he did for Shiroe. "She was slammed with a bomb, big time. It's what made her go under up there. Tetorō and I took a look around the fox hole she jumped from. It's a fifteen foot diameter hole that goes fifty feet deep and the slag leading up to it's about five miles. It came from space, so it did a lot of damage. She got out okay, except the sleeping gas got to her."

"It wasn't all bad. She got one piece of data we needed, and this morning all the other high level Hackers came visiting to make sure she was okay, so we got to meet some new folks. Apparently the blast was seen world round, inside. We'll watch the area and see how it heals. It may not, we don't know. Tetorō's cast a few healing spells on it, but we might have to go hunt down the actual physical location to confirm and repair, if necessary and possible."

"Were people hurt?" Shiroe asked concerned.

"No," Purrcy answered from behind him. "We don't hide where other people are around. I don't at least. Some do, but it's usually the evil Hackers who don't mind if innocents take the damage for them hiding in the middle of them." Shiroe nodded, relieved. "I had warning signals up far enough out I could get out in time. It moved faster than I can, which is one of my heads-up signals. I bail fast when those go off. It had the right signature to set off other things as well, so the hole was deeper than it needed to be. It would have only been about thirty feet, I think, maybe twenty-five."

"That isn't really much better," Nyanta said faintly.

Naotsugu nodded. "Dead is dead."

"Well...dead there is just Cathedraled, like out here," Purrcy shrugged. "Not that it would have been pleasant, but it would have been swift, so no pain."

Nyanta dropped his head into his hand. "Really," he whispered. There was movement and a hand touched his arm. He looked up in surprise to see his wife standing in front of him, her tender, understanding look on her. He dropped his hand and took a step back. He bowed formally. "Please forgive me. I allowed my fear to overwhelm my rationality. I have taken responsibility and will strive my best to --"

There was a hand on his head. "Nyanta. You are working hard. ..." He rose to look her in the eye again. Almost with a sigh, she finished. "Please continue to work hard to overcome your fears properly." Unspoken, he knew she had said, _I am here to help you. I am not afraid of your fear._

Nyanta held out his hand. Purrcy put hers in it. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Yes, My Lady." Breakfast could now begin.

  
-:-:-:-:-  
  


"Shiroe...."

"Yes, Purrcy?" His voice was kind for her this morning.

"I just wanted to give you an update?"

"Okay," he nodded. They were eating breakfast, of course. Though she was a bit out of the normal for the breakfast routine, she wasn't at all out of normal for her.

There was a pause as she ate a bit longer to get her thoughts in order. "So...the old list...number four...the neural networks are trained and I've got what I think is an answer for both China and the US. I'm going to spin it out to the other main servers this afternoon." Shiroe nodded. "We learned this morning with the visitors we had that China's Caretaker is missing. I'm worried it's a cut line there, like it was here. I'm expecting we will have to enter the Maze of Eternity there, like we postulated. Please add it for sure to this morning's items."

"Okay."

"I asked them to let their representatives know we might be visiting within the year, depending on how things go in the near future. I was hoping it would give them hope."

Shiroe nodded. "I know it would me, if I heard it."

"I thought so." She paused to eat more of her grapefruit and apple salad. "Number five got a big boost, of course, because of what's happened. I've modified one of the links slightly to get data we need sooner than later. I hope to hear from that line by the time we're in China and before we have to make any big decisions there."

Shiroe drank some of his tea and wiped his mouth. "It would be good if it could be by then." Most everyone at the table nodded at that. No one really wanted a year-long trip to happen if it could be prevented.

"Have you heard from Soujirou yet on how they anticipate handling the natural lessons?" Purrcy asked about her next line-item on her list.

"No, but he did ask to talk to me after the meeting, so I expect to hear something then, maybe," Shiroe answered.

"Okay. I think we'll need to have at least one school board meeting before we go anywhere and he can present it then, officially. Training, have you had any meetings with Crescent Moon yet?"

"No, ma'am. Today, though," Training answered promptly.

"Thank you. We'll need to schedule the board meeting for after they've got things nailed down into a presentation as well, so see that we don't step on their pacing."

"Yes, ma'am."

Purrcy took a drink then tapped her fork on the side of her lip. "Don't let your meeting with Soujirou interfere with your date."

Shiroe smiled. "You still have my list memorized, I see."

Purrcy smiled back. "Yes, of course. And I think that covers what I have. Oh, no, we need to add back in making extra meals, or at the least how we're going to fit in stops to collect foodstuff as we go. And please let us know sooner than you normally like if we're going to go on a Yamato tour before we cross the Sea."

"Sooner?" Shiroe raised an eyebrow.

Everyone glared at him. "You are very good at letting us know last minute," Isuzu explained.

Shiroe sighed. "Okay. I'll try to do better this time. I think we need to have this morning's Round Table meeting first, and maybe I need to have Michael sit with me on navigating the waters to see how much of it we could fit in on the trip over."

Michael nodded. "This afternoon?"

Shiroe considered his tasks. "I'll call you in, probably late afternoon."

"Roger."

Shiroe remembered his question for Purrcy. "Where are you going after the meeting?"

Purrcy paused, going rather still. Carefully she put down her bowl and placed her spoon next to it just as formally. She looked up into Shiroe's eyes. "To visit some friends I've not seen in a while in a place that is safe and where there are no people - other than Nyanta if he will continue to insist on coming." She turned and looked at Nyanta.

"I'm coming," he said calmly.

"Very well. He won't count as a person for the afternoon, then. Just a cat." There were giggles and snorts of laughter from the other side of the table. Both felinoids had whiskers twitch up.

Shiroe smiled. Purrcy was very much herself this morning. It was a good thing. He hoped it would stay relatively that level of 'her'. "What about everyone else?" he asked.

"Watch over Shiroe, stand guard, go on a date, watch over Shiroe." Akatsuki was quick to take her turn.

"I think I'd like to go on a date, too," Naotsugu said, leaning back briefly to look at Shiroe. "I've been neglecting Marie a bit too much lately, I think, but if you need me before or after, just let me know where."

Shiroe nodded. "Do take the time," he encouraged. Naotsugu nodded and went back to eating.

"I'll be following along with the meeting, standing behind Purrcy," Tetorō said calmly. "In the afternoon I'll do what you need, but if it isn't much, I'll be lying on the couch." Shiroe gave him a nod.

"Me, too," Michael said, "but I'll be on her door in the Council Chamber." Shiroe paused, then nodded.

The four younger ones all looked at each other, then smiled. "We're going to go shopping and prepare a special surprise for dinner."

The rest of them perked up at that. "That's so kind of you!" Purrcy exclaimed.

"I look forward to it," Shiroe said and the rest of them agreed. Shiroe wondered which one had reached the level of being able to make curry, then decided he'd better not wonder that, just in case it wasn't that. It's just that, by tonight...they would have completed another small milestone. He would be craving curry just by habit.


	28. Preparing for the Fifth Floor Raid

Shiroe rubbed his forehead. The meeting was going about how he expected. Difficult, loud, conflicted. It really didn't need to. It was as Purrcy had warned. Ains didn't want her sitting at the table, and certainly not acting as her own entity. Maybe they should have had it in a different room. He sighed and shifted slightly. The movement didn't get the attention it might have under other circumstances. He very carefully cleared his throat and reached for his glasses. That got eyes and a few mouths closed, but not the important one. His fingers touched the rim of his glasses. He closed his fingers around them and pulled them off very carefully. "Ains."

Ains' mouth closed suddenly. The glasses went into Shiroe's pocket. He leaned forward and put his arms on the table in front of him and clasped his hands. He raised his eyes and looked into Ains' eyes. "We did not come to the table today to discuss the merits of Purrcy as a person. We are here to hear her quest request. Please refrain from redirecting the conversation away from what is pertinent and wasting our time. We will hear your complaints about her as a person another time, if it is relevant."

Ains blinked, trying to recover. He finally sat up straight and asked, "Why should we trust that such quest requests are valid or even --"

"Ains," Shiroe said very carefully, "you are not required to participate in, nor to accept any quest requests brought to you. The others should be allowed to hear it at least and make their own decisions. That is how this place has always worked. Each person may choose for themselves what they will and won't do. We have heard your reservations. Each person here will take them into account in the way they wish to. Please stop wasting our time." Shiroe knew he'd backed Ains into a corner and it wasn't his favorite thing to do, but really. It had been over an hour and a half. That was really too much.

There was a sudden sniff. Everyone turned heads to look. Marielle had her hands over her face and it was turning red. "Marie?" Shiroe asked, surprised.

"Oh! I'm sorry," she said abjectly, rubbing her eyes, but the tears wouldn't stop coming. "I - I just don't...," she sniffed again. "Purrcy is trying so hard for everyone and Ains...he cares so much for people, too. It's just hard," she wiped her eyes again, "to see everyone fighting when it seems so unnecessary." She was having a hard time not sobbing now. "Even Shiroe." She completely lost it and broke down crying. Henrietta patted Marielle uncomfortably on the shoulder and fished out a handkerchief to hand her guildmistress.

Shiroe blinked. He should have known. Going full out would have a rather severe effect on Marielle. He really had needed to stop Ains, though, and that was like stopping the Ocypete on full steam. Everyone in the room was looking very uncomfortable with Marielle's tears. "I'm sorry, Marie," Shiroe said, trying to calm her.

Ains shifted uncomfortably and rubbed his temple above his eyebrow with his thumb, then sighed. "I'm sorry as well." He gave Purrcy a glance that seemed chastened. "If my concerns have been heard, that is all that's really necessary."

Shiroe nodded as did others around the table, trying to both reassure him and Marielle. Shiroe looked at Purrcy. "I'm sorry to bring conflict to the Round Table," Purrcy said. "It truly wasn't my intent." He could just make out her purring for Marielle. He was glad he'd put Purrcy between the two of them.

He nodded and pulled his glasses back out of his pocket and put them back on. "Do we need to go back and review from the beginning again?" he asked, pretending to hunt for his place in his notes.

"No," Isaac said. He was the impatient one who would most certainly not want it repeated again. Shiroe looked at the rest of them just to make sure.

When there were no forthcoming questions, he nodded. "Given that you now understand why the Corporation of Akiba was formed, and what the hopes were for it, particularly as it relates to the longer term goal that we hope all Adventurers have or might have, can we please move on to who would be willing to participate to what level in the journey to China?" It almost came out more pleading than he wanted it to. He tried to rein that in.

"I'm in." Again, it was Isaac. He wanted this to be over, too. "I know Rieze wants to go, but I think she needs to stay here. She's got a better balance for keeping things going around here and is more patient than I am. I'll take the crew I took into the Maze of Eternity, since that's likely what we'll face over there in the end, though if we don't, I'm sure there's still plenty for us to do."

Shiroe looked at Rieze. She sighed and glanced at Ains before leaning over to put her clasped hands on the table. "I'll send a double portion if Ains is going to step out. They don't have to have me, and I agree we shouldn't leave the whole burden on him. Crusty's going to owe me big time when he gets back."

Ains blinked. "I'll ask around and see if anyone wants to go, but I won't." Shiroe nodded. That's all that they could expect at this point, and at least he hadn't forbidden anyone from his guild from going.

Soujirou rubbed his head. "I'll take it to the guild and see what they say. I want to go. It would be a lot of fun, but that's about all it would be for us."

"You get left behind a lot," Marielle said, having recovered enough and trying hard, "it would be okay, I think?, if you wanted to go." She looked pleadingly at the other fighting guildmasters.

Isaac shrugged. Rieze nodded. Ains sniffed. Soujirou sighed. "Like I said, I'll take it to the guild and let you know." He looked firmly at Shiroe.

"Okay," Shiroe agreed.

Marielle sat up straight, trying to cover her embarrassing slip. "We're staying. The Academy is about to open a new level of coursework and we need to be focused on helping our students. If any individuals want to participate, I probably won't say no, however."

Calasin leaned forward on one arm. "I'm going to send MarketMaker with enough people to open the market in whatever towns and cities you come to. I'm sure we'll make up the bulk of the people going. Will that be a problem?"

"Not at all," Shiroe said calmly. "That's part of the plan, after all." Look like merchants, but underneath...he sighed.

"I'll send product along and enough Technicians for what you need, plus you get the Ocypete and sailing staff, which will be difficult, but the next ship should be done not too long after that." Michitaka offered. "I'd like to keep a few sailors here for that one so I don't have to reteach all new people again, though."

Purrcy turned an ear towards Michael. He spoke quietly and she answered. "We have sufficient to staff whatever you might need to keep, most likely. I've planned in picking up others along the way if we need to, as well. We don't need to strip you of everything that you would need to get shipping going along the Archipelago while we're gone. Would you be willing to spearhead setting up a blacksmith town on the coast of Ezzo near Sharpcliff for the purpose of building more shipping trunks? I'd like to see them not have to be so poor up there and the resources are pretty good for that trade."

Michitaka leaned on his elbow. "Miss Purrcy, that is normally something we hear from Shiroe."

Purrcy nodded. "But the trunks were my idea and request to the blacksmiths originally, so it's a joint request from Venture Enterprises and the Caretaker."

Michitaka shook his head, a bemused smile on his face. "And, so we should plan on hiring People of the Land...and creatures?"

"I would appreciate it," she said. "I'd be willing to negotiate with the Giants to see if any could be hired on as ship protection against the nastier sea creatures that frequent the waters there. At the least I was hoping they would be willing to mine the ore for the fires in exchange for trade goods."

Everyone at the table was staring at her like she'd grown another head. "Seriously?! The Giants?!"

"Yes," she said mildly. "I'm not sure they'll agree, since the battles between them and Adventurers has been fairly long and fierce, but really, if they can't get with the times and move along, they'll be left behind."

The table exploded into laughter. Shiroe was amazed she could sit there so calmly in the face of it. Her tail even continued to wave pleasantly. He almost wondered if she was teasing them and enjoying it. ...Except she'd said it to him, too, in all seriousness. "When would you go to do that negotiation?" he asked her, wondering just how she would fit it in.

"When you take us up there to ask William if he'll spare any to come with us, too, and to negotiate with him the security detail of the blacksmithy." Her face stayed just as calm.

Shiroe slowly put his hand to his forehead and he closed his eyes. With a sigh, he said, "I'll think about it."

"Yes, it is difficult when we want to go two or three places at once. We really have to manage our time wisely, don't we?" she answered him.

Akaneya cleared his throat and they gave him their attention. "I think I'll put the word out to those who are in my guild, and those who are solos, that you've put out the quest request. Can you handle solos?"

Purrcy smiled. "I think that's fine. Even if we're a little rag-tag, we're joining up with Crusty and Kanami. If we need to be a united front, I think we'll be well led by them and Shiroe." She lumped herself in with the other solos without thinking about it. Shiroe rolled his eyes just a little.

Akaneya nodded. "Good enough. I'll get the word out. Do you have a last-day for signup?" Shiroe nodded and told the Round Table when it was.

Woodstock shifted next. "We're strapped. I can't afford to have anyone leave, and we need to get products through our level to keep the line fed. We'll stay here and keep the home fires burning."

"As long as it's not burning the home, that's just fine," Shiroe half-joked. Woodstock nodded.

That left Roderick. They all looked at him. His arms were folded and he'd been fairly quiet for a while now. He sighed. "I wish you weren't taking the expedition at all. What are we supposed to do without the two brightest minds in Akiba to keep pushing us forward?"

"Call us when you get lonely or need to remember why we're irritating?" Purrcy answered. There was silence, then the table slowly turned into another laughing mess.

"Spoken like a mother," chuckled Isaac. He imitated what was probably his own mother: "Just because I don't get to see your face and you don't get to see my wagging finger, doesn't mean you can't lift your own to dial my number so your poor lonely mother can know you're still living!" He chuckled into his shoulder again.

Purrcy shrugged. "Well, it's true! If you get bogged down and need a push, call. We might be in the middle of a battle, but most likely we'll be in the middle of the ocean or the desert, completely bored and wishing for home. And if we don't hear from you, we'll likely call you instead, and catch you in the shower or on that hot date you waited three months for."

Shiroe stared at her. "You didn't," he whispered at her.

"Didn't what? Watch my mom do it to my older brother on a regular basis? Of course I did. I almost had it happen a few times to me, too."

Shiroe relaxed, but found it rather unbelievable it happened so similarly all the time for so many families. It had never happened to him. ...Well, he had gotten the, "Have you found a girlfriend yet?" calls and the "I'm never going to have grandchildren, am I?" calls. He'd found them odd since they'd never cared much before he left the house. But maybe if he _had_ finally gotten a date with a girl, the call would have come as he was stepping into the shower for it to make him a half-hour late. It did seem to work like that. He shook his head and looked back at Roderick again.

"We'll keep plugging along here as well," Roderick summed up.

Shiroe took his turn. "My entire guild will be going." That got a bit of concern and a lot of interest. "There's no sense in leaving the younger set home this time. They need to see the world and get more adventures under their belts. We'll be back after China, the core group. Purrcy and the rest may continue on, depending on what we find while we're there, though they'll take the sea route. Calasin, we expect MarketMaker and your core group to take the land route, but if you could assign a sub-group to the ship to open port connections, that might be helpful."

Calasin nodded and Isaac shifted. "How long do you need fighters for? Just China?"

Shiroe shrugged. "Until after the China Server Maze of Eternity, then it's up to those who went that far whether they come back with us, head into the Eured continent with the train, or stay on board the ship and go with Purrcy. I know Rieze is hoping Crusty comes back. If you can talk him into it, Isaac, then you can take your turn to stay out and play, but one or the other of you probably needs to be here. We need protections here in Yamato, too."

Isaac leaned back and folded his arms. "What if Crusty wants to head inland and I want to stay shipside?"

"You'll make Michael jealous?" They looked at Marielle. Marielle blushed and put her hands over her mouth, her eyes going wide. "Ah, sorry. Did that come out? I was really thinking of saying that it would leave poor Ains with too much work on his shoulders, and Rieze, too."

"I think we could handle it," sniffed Ains.

Rieze looked about the same. "It's not that hard, Marie, though I would beat Crusty black and blue if he didn't come promptly home when I couldn't go out there to beat him black and blue."

"I don't think I'd want to come home ever," Tetorō said quietly from behind them. "It's a bad threat." Shiroe had to swallow a laugh.

"There is the possibility the ship only needs to go to the United States, and not to the rest of the world," Purrcy spoke up. "If that's the case, then Crusty can come home, and Isaac can go with the train. We will only need the smaller complement on the ship, though I appreciate the offer, Isaac. I'm sure while we're traveling you will have plenty of time to corner me behind tea. Likely by the time we know what is after that, you'll be happy to be rid of me."

"Likely," Isaac agreed, surly and not liking even that much rejection. The others shook their heads at him. "I'll make sure Crusty comes home, Rieze. It's his turn to sit in Maihama and go to the Crystal Palace."

"Here, here!" Michitaka agreed. He'd not liked that he'd had to substitute as well.

"Well said," Rieze agreed.

"I'll be sure to tell him you said so," Shiroe said dryly. None of those were things to tempt him home. His only temptation lay in outside...but...there was one that might work. "Rieze, please make sure that Princess Raynessia is composing several letters to send with us to give to him. Michael," he looked over his shoulder, "please schedule a time to paint a communication picture of the Princess for us to take as well, as her gift to him for the time and consideration he gave her before he was so rudely stolen from us all."

There were hunting grins at the table, but Shiroe ignored them. The letters would be the bait, the picture the bribe. "Also, Marie, please be sure that the Princess communicates with Maihama that Crusty will be returning and could they be so kind as to throw him a welcoming home party for her sake?"

"I'd be happy to," Marielle said brightly.

"If you need help getting the permission and interest, please let me know," Purrcy said smoothly. "I'm sure I might be able to use some of my own contacts to smooth the way."

Shiroe shivered slightly. He might have gone one step too far. Crusty was also not going to appreciate being trapped. He looked at Purrcy and opened his mouth. She put her hand on his arm. "It's okay, Shiroe. I'll talk to Crusty." She tilted her head and smiled.

"Charm +20 against Adventurers," Tetorō said from the corner of his mouth.

Shiroe shivered again. "Right," he said softly. "Don't let him run, and don't let him hate us."

Purrcy nodded. "He's needed, but he has to learn it." Shiroe looked at her, then nodded and returned to the table.

One hand went up at the table. "You've already tried once and it wasn't possible. What's going to change that this time?" Roderick was asking with his usual calm professor tone, used when he wanted to bring everyone back to reality.

"Purrcy," Shiroe said as several fingers pointed to said person.

Roderick blinked at her. "Good luck. If you figure out how to break flavor text curses generally, I'd be happy to hear how it's done."

Purrcy tipped her head. "We'll see. Each one may be individual." Roderick nodded. It looked like he was thinking of using it as a test case to see just how high a level Purrcy was.

"Okay. Thank you everyone," Shiroe said, wrapping that part up. "We'll keep in touch as things develop in that area. Now, shall we have the summary from each division of the corporation? This time, let's start with the Sales and Delivery end of things shall we?" He looked at Calasin.

Calasin nodded, took a breath, and began his summary of his distribution expansion plan.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe was glad to escape with Akatsuki into the market district. "Sometimes," he sighed, taking her hand in his - which was becoming easier in public after a few months of practicing it now, "I wish we could disguise ourselves. It's getting old to be getting looks just walking down the street. I think I'm glad that back home I'm not famous."

Akatsuki looked up at him, a smile in her eyes that only showed in her face as a lifting of the cheeks. "It's possible that after we get back home you'll still be famous."

Shiroe laughed a little then sighed. "Yes, I suppose you're right, though hopefully it won't be too bad. I think I'll keep my personal data secret, though, just in case. I'd really rather not." He looked at the sky briefly. "And maybe it will blow over after a year or so. Things like this are sensational when they happen, but then they're practically forgotten when the next sensation arrives."

"True," Akatsuki could only agree. "Can we stop by Amenoma? Tatara would have gotten the newest set of blades set out this morning."

"Sure," Shiroe said. He liked to watch Akatsuki's eyes light up when she got to see new blades up for sale. Her favorite store was Amenoma. Even though Tatara had gifted her with a blade specifically re-forged for her during the Battle of the Maidens, she still loved to go in and see if a new game blade had appeared, or to complement Tatara on a blade the blacksmith had forged herself.

The bell over the door tinkled as they walked into the store. Tatara was as taciturn as Akatsuki, a hard nosed businesswoman, but the two women had an understanding. Blades were their common point of interest, but Tatara had sold the cursed blade that had made the Maiden battle have to happen, and she knew that Akatsuki had wanted to buy it. They were all rather glad Akatsuki hadn't bought it since it was the second blade to revert to its flavor text and it had taken over the mind of its new owner, being a cursed sword. Akatsuki's current blade had been her second pick at that time, but it was too big for her at that time, and too expensive. Tatara had reforged it to be perfect for her, changed the flavor text to make sure it didn't curse her, too, and gifted it when Akatsuki's original sword shattered under successive blows from the cursed sword.

"Tatara," Akatsuki gave her friend a nod. They were similar in height and slight build, but Tatara's hair was a spiky burgundy pulled back to be out of her way for her blacksmithing work. Her everpresent protective goggles were on top of her head, out of the way while being a shopkeep, but she always kept a cloth over her face even in the shop. She was elvin and her red and yellow eyes were striking, though went well with the overall effect of her avatar. She wore the yukata and short pants of the old-time male blacksmiths of Japan, showing that underneath her apparently shy exterior was a woman of stubborn strength.

"Akatsuki." Tatara gave a slight tip of the head towards the newest blades set out. Akatsuki immediately headed to go see. "Shiroe-san."

"Good afternoon, Miss Tatara. Has business been steady?" Since Shiroe had been coming more frequently with Akatsuki, getting his name called was a rather big step forward. He'd decided treating Tatara the way he did Akatsuki was the best way to go.

"Yes...thanks."

Shiroe smiled. "I'm glad to hear it."

Tatara paused and Shiroe was surprised to recognize it as the kind of pause that preceded more conversation. He changed his mind about turning to peruse the closest stand and moved closer to the counter instead, but not close enough to cause discomfort. He also didn't look straight at Tatara until she was ready to bend his ear again.

"Saw the new swords...who?"

Shiroe tipped his head thinking about that. "Who designed them?" A curt nod. "Purrcy of Venture Enterprises. She's an inventor and designer."

"They've got flavor text?" He couldn't decide if that was surprise or suspicion.

"She apparently set it before the blacksmithing was done. She's also a Hacker."

There was a bit of silence as Tatara mulled that over. Finally, "Where?"

Shiroe considered that. Finally he answered, "She'd been using Grandale's smithy. She took that request to them, I expect."

Tatara gave a wrinkle of her nose in distaste. "Mass market."

Shiroe gave a small smile. "Well, they might now that they're in with Michitaka's group, but if I know her, what they produced for her is a better product. She solos just to find extra ingredients most people wouldn't even think of using."

A light clatter sounded and a sword appeared on the counter. They both turned to look at Akatsuki. "Let me know what you think," she said to Tatara. "For me, it's decoration."

Tatara lit up just faintly with what was for her extreme interest and reached for the sword. Shiroe, smiling to himself, turned and wandered back to peruse the closest display. The sword was too thin and light for Akatsuki's general needs, though Shiroe had noticed that it had sized to her in length when she'd first received it. He'd wondered how the blacksmiths had set that, then decided it was probably Purrcy since she'd changed BigMuscleBill's and Nyanta's after that.

Tatara inspected the sheath and belt briefly, spent a little more time on the chain, then pulled the blade carefully from the sheath. She inspected it carefully from pommel to tip. Shiroe knew that the various Classes could see more detailed descriptions of things they inspected that were in their Class. He himself could 'inspect' a specific ink or paper and see exactly what ingredients had been used to make it. Since his Scribe skill was quite high now, he could also see how much of each, by percentage, and what grade material had been used. Likely Tatara was the same in inspecting blades.

As she reached the end of her inspection, Akatsuki slipped up to the counter, an eyebrow raised. "Nice." Tatara gave the sword a grade, slipping it back into the sheath. "But...how did they get leprechaun urine in it?"

Shiroe felt his jaw drop. He figured he looked like Akatsuki. Akatsuki blinked a few times, finally turning to Shiroe. "Yuck."

Shiroe couldn't help the laugh. "No. Sorry. I was rather thinking the same thing. Tetorō only told me it was something I didn't want to know. I have no idea how she would have even gathered it, but...it's likely the ingredient that makes it theft-proof?"

Akatsuki considered that, then nodded. She turned back to Tatara and shrugged. "Sometimes Purrcy's weird."

Shiroe stepped over to be conversationally close the women. "I could ask Tetorō what she had them do with it. I wasn't there for the details, unless you want to contact BigMusclesBill yourself?"

Tatara considered, finally saying, "Please."

Shiroe considered. She likely couldn't leave the shop much. He nodded. "I'll ask for you, but I'll see if BigMusclesBill will come talk shop with you."

Tatara blushed and shook her head. Shiroe ignored her, calling up Tetorō. The conversation was short. He turned back to the ladies. "She told them to quench the blade in it. But you'll have to talk to the blacksmith himself to know if that's what they really did in the end. They experiment based on what she has and what she wants."

"Unique. Won't see that again," was Tatara's concluding decision. She turned back to Akatsuki. "Don't add a curse to it. You're stuck with it."

The sword disappeared from the counter. Akatsuki gave a nod of agreement. "I'll try not to." She unclipped her short sword and put it on the counter. "Going to China soon. Please?"

Tatara's eyebrows both raised. "China, huh?" She reached for the short sword. "I'll make sure." She gave a nod of promise. Akatsuki relaxed just a little.

"Anything you want us to look for while we're there that we can bring back for you?" Shiroe asked her.

Tatara looked at him for a minute, then an unusual look came on her face, transforming it to almost fae features. "How 'bout one of those leprechauns?"

Shiroe laughed, delighted he'd been able to see Tatara's smiling face for the first time. "If we see any, maybe we can talk one into coming."

Tatara nodded the happy sort of nod, pleased Shiroe had gotten the joke. As they turned to go, Tatara shot Akatsuki a look. "Lucky," she muttered. Akatsuki walked out of the store floating and proud.

Shiroe considered her, then mildly said, "When you feel like that, is when you're supposed to kiss me."

Akatsuki turned three shades of pink - surprised, chagrined, and pleased. He allowed her to stop him as she grabbed his sleeve. She pulled on the sleeve and he bent down to receive his kiss. Then she went red with embarrassment, realizing they were still in the middle of the street. Shiroe grinned at her, though when she looked away and they started walking again, he breathed out the breath he was holding and fought to keep his own blush down to just a dull roar.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy stayed in her office after the meeting, putting together her thoughts on paper. From that she was making notes of what orders she wanted to pass out to people, or rather what she was going to delegate out to others. The list of things she wanted to do herself was rather long and it made her sigh. She could hear Tetorō speaking in the antechamber. When he was done, she called for him, to let him know she was at least partially interruptible.

"Shiroe wants to know if BigMusclesBill would be willing to tell Tatara of Amenoma what he ended up doing to make the guard's swords. She's a solo blacksmith and shopkeeper, and Akatsuki's friend. They apparently stopped by the shop and showed her Akatsuki's sword."

Purrcy leaned back in her chair. "Mmm...I want to encourage the small shops. That's part of my job description, too. Call up BigMusclesBill and see if he'll met me for lunch. Have us meet at a small place near her shop and if I can talk him into sharing the secrets he hates to share, we'll head over there. I'll leave him there if they get going."

"Okay. When?"

Purrcy looked at her desk. "Half an hour. I should be done here in twenty minutes, I'd think." Tetorō nodded and turned back to make the chat call. Purrcy returned to her notes. When she was done with the delegation transcriptions, she collected them up in her hands. Loudly, she asked, "So...who do I give these to? Tetorō, Michael, or the individuals in question?"

Michael answered firmly. "You give them to Tetorō."

"Yes, Sir," she answered calmly. Tetorō was already on his way to her desk. Purrcy handed over the stack of papers to him. "I've got my own list to collate, then I'll be ready to go."

Tetorō took the papers and nodded. They were done about the same time. Purrcy had listened with a half an ear to learn what the next proper link in the chain was after Tetorō (Shiroe then Reed). Purrcy nodded. Michael did seem to do things with the sub-guild as far as that went only when it was very high level stuff. She presumed Reed would pass anything up that needed to be handled directly by Michael.

Her own list included:

II. Keep tabs on Plague Master, Hackers, Witches, etc.  
III. Introduce Nyanta to the creatures he may have to interact with in the future.  
IV. World Network  
  A. Run search engine outside initial test regions.  
  B. Sneaker net on those we haven't heard from yet.  
  C. Compare final names on list.  
  D. Confirm underground allies are allies.  
  E. Continue work on gates (not looking promising).  
  F. World Round Table Council  
    1. Get to China  
      a. Adventurer Tree of Life need healing?  
      b. Find the missing Caretaker.  
      c. Overwritten/Observers  
      d. Find the missing people and bring them home.  
      e. Assist with having enough food to cover for the trip out/cash to purchase items on the way.  
    2. Run around the world to make connections  
      a.  Confirm stops with Michael  
      b. Let Caretakers of each region know where we'll meet them.  
      c. Make sure we have enough copies of Shiroe's picture we can leave with them.  
      d. Take copies of Shiroe's suggested articles of incorporation with as well. (Put a copy in the code drop box.)  
V. Getting home by how we got here  
  A.3. Walk the computer  
      a. Continue to gather data  
      b. Observers/Overwritten  
         i. Are they living creatures from the beginning, or prototypes?  
        ii. Can I get into their 'spirit' world on the moon?  
       iii. Talk one into combining and trying to go home.  
  B. Cathedral extinction  
    1. Ask the Observers if they had Cathedrals and what happened to them when they couldn't use them any more.  
    2. On the trip around the world, find out if any Cathedrals have been taken out already and what that's meant for that city or area.  
VI. Akiba Academy  
  A. Courses to write up  
    1. Surgical Veterinarian  
    2. Controlling the Natural Half-Beast  
    3. Higher level economics, including loans (w/ Shiroe)  
  B. Board Meeting  
    1. Can we allow People of the Land to take the Surgical Veterinarian classes? (And maybe econ?)  
    2. Setting up the High School level coursework  
      a. How many are likely to need to attend?  
      b. Can we combine ages?  
      c. Course list  
      d. Potential teacher list  
      e. Requirements to graduate  
    3. Other business  
VII. Upgrade Apprentices to Journeymen  
  A. Meeting/Graduation ceremony  
  B. Testing as they go  
VIII. Venture Enterprises  
  A. Potions  
    1. Growth Milk  
    2. Sex Change  
    3. Review code for any hints.  
    4. Collect ingredients that might help from creatures. (= get back to helping creatures again)  
  B. Clothing  
    1. Meet with Maihama needleworkers.  
    2. Get the one seamstress on board as an apprentice. (Need to turn this over to her soon.)  
    3. Finalize designs and get them to the Sewing Department ASAP.  
  C. Shipping Trunks  
    1. Negotiate with Giants.  
    2. Keep in touch with Michitaka.

Purrcy sighed and set down her pen. She flexed her fingers and scratched the top of her head with both hands. She really had no idea how to fit in VIII, and it was probably the most important one for long term growth of the city and her own ability to move forward. It was also the last thing on the Superuser's list. She was rather unhappy about that, really.

Being able to _be_ the Caretaker was also becoming last on the list, another thing she was rather upset about. The two things she really wanted to do were being shunted to the back burner. She memorized the list, then put it in an item list box. She stood and stretched out her back, arms, and legs. "Right. I'm ready to go."

Tetorō rose from his desk as well, and they left the office at the top of the Guild Hall. "BigMusclesBill said he'd meet us," he said on the way.

"That's good." Purrcy answered him, still distracted by her list.

"You're not still working are you?" Tetorō asked suspiciously, looking at her collar.

"Yes, but it's just putting things into their proper order in the schedule. I'll be done by the time we get to lunch. Stuff I can do while walking."

Tetorō sighed but let it be until they were out of the Guild Hall. "But really, Purrcy, I like your company, too," he finally said.

Purrcy reached out a hand for his hand. He picked it up with the other and put it in his elbow. "This place is used to seeing you escorted, but I think a married woman shouldn't hold hands with someone else," he scolded.

"Sorry," she said, still elsewhere. "It's habit from holding my youngest son's hand. I was always telling him he had to hold my hand or I'd get lost."

Tetorō was about to scold her again, but laughed at the last. "That's definitely true. You would."

Purrcy nodded. "Though I said it that way to not make him afraid of becoming lost himself."

"I suppose there's wisdom in that," Tetorō agreed.

Finally Purrcy sighed and let it go to look around at their surroundings again. "Well, I do wish I had more time in my life. Things are going to have to be postponed again that I will be sad about. I really can't be three places at once."

"What are the worst ones?" Tetorō asked.

"Venture Enterprises and Caretaker," she answered immediately.

"Really? Venture Enterprises?" Tetorō was surprised.

Purrcy nodded. "If I'm not being the Caretaker in fact and action, I'm not gleaning the magic items and I'm not having the time to work on the inventions. Just having that one thing pushed so far out is very problematic."

Tetorō was quiet, then patted her hand where it was tucked into his elbow. He didn't have anything to say, though.

Purrcy sighed. "And just behind that is the Academy. I'm going to do what I can today and when we have the board meeting, but I'll just be squeezing in the bare minimum. I'll need to go over the schedule with you next, but it can wait until tomorrow. I need to more specifically schedule in everything that I can't get done this afternoon so I know how it fits and if there'll be time to get out to even a few Creatures who need me."

Tetorō frowned. "I thought you were going to see some this afternoon, and rest?"

"I'm going to see some. I'll be resting with them, but I'll be working, too. I can't do a lot of work at a time anymore, you know," she gave him a scathing look.

He looked fearlessly back. "You don't need to - not at that level."

"So you say," she answered back, but let it drop.

They arrived at a sandwich and salad shop shortly thereafter. BigMusclesBill was already there. He looked a little concerned about the total numbers of people that came, but the guards all peeled off to another table as Tetorō seated Purrcy, then himself, at the smaller table the blacksmith had taken. "Good afternoon," he said in his baritone voice. His muscles rippled as he leaned back in his chair.

"Good afternoon," Purrcy and Tetorō both said politely. "Thank you for agreeing to meet with me over lunch," Purrcy said as Tetorō placed their order.

"Do you have another project for me?" BigMusclesBill asked. "It's unusual for you to call me out instead of come visit." The buff, chiseled looks of the Guardian blacksmith were similar to Naotsugu and Michitaka's, coming from the same base avatar. He wore a blacksmith's apron over his light-weight dark red shirt and brown pants. The apron had his guild crest on it - a blacksmith's hammer crossed with a sword. His hair was a short spiky brown, and his beard limited to a rugged unshaven look. His most striking feature was his brilliant light blue eyes. His natural face from Earth that showed through the avatar was kind, though it could go serious or on the rare occasion, contemplative. At the moment he was curious and confused.

Purrcy shook her head. "I don't have anything new right now. I figure I've already done enough at the moment. Rather I'd like to ask a favor, but perhaps on a full stomach not an empty one." She smiled at him.

BigMusclesBill tapped a finger on the table. "A favor, hmm? That's what I usually do for you, too."

Purrcy tipped her head at him. "True. I suppose I haven't asked if you'd like to ask for one in return?"

A slow smile came on BigMusclesBill's face. "I'm going to have to remember you said that. So far the things we learn from you are sufficient for what we're doing, but a personal favor, now...that's something different."

Purrcy sighed to herself, but that was the proper exchange for what she was going to ask from him next. "How did you get your start as a blacksmith?" she asked him.

BigMusclesBill rubbed his chin with a large hand. "Wanted to make my own weapons. I'm a Guardian, see, but I've always liked to specialize. I like that you bring me stuff with your own flavor text and that kind of thing, since that's what I always do for my own things, too."

He leaned forward on his arms and clasped his hands together. "There were about five of us who met online that liked to talk about the cool things we could make. We ran into Woodstock's group and liked what they were doing, but we didn't join with the guild until we ended up here. I'm not sure how I ended up the head honcho of the blacksmithing group there," he shrugged, "but I like to drive how we work."

Purrcy nodded. "Has it been hard moving over to Michitaka's group, then? I'm sure they were already set in their ways as well."

BigMusclesBill looked down at his hands, considering his answer. His face went just a little sad. "I guess it has been, a bit. We're still not working together well, but we finally got a start since you made me let them in on it. Some friction came from that, but it opened up the doors, I suppose. We're trying, though. Sometimes the Michitaka groups seems elitist and the Roderick group snobbish, and I suppose we seem cliquish."

He rubbed a thumb on his fingers. "I'd have to say for me, the hardest part...is that it feels like we've moved the next step towards believing we won't make it home. Like making it official business that moves product so we can progress means we're moving into being more settled here in Akiba and on Theldesia. I'm not settling well with that feeling in my gut."

Purrcy leaned forward and patted his hands. "I'm sorry," she said. "Really, we are still trying to find a way home. We're actually closer now with the changes. There are things Shiroe discovered needed to be funded at a slightly higher amount than the Round Table could do on its own with its levels of productivity as they were."

BigMusclesBill raised an eyebrow at her. " 'We'? You're involved in that, too?"

Purrcy wrinkled her nose. "Yes. Since I've got outside info and was a high level Hacker, Shiroe snagged me to help out with that too." She shrugged at his look. "Not that I mind, really, since getting everyone home is important...just my own work's suffering from it now."

"I can see that," he nodded.

Food arrived then and they dove in, talking of inconsequential things for a while. As the food was filling the belly at the end of the meal. Purrcy finally turned them to what she wanted from her guest. "So, BigMusclesBill, please tell me how you feel about solo blacksmiths?"

BigMusclesBill thought about that as he took a swig of his mug. "I think that anyone who likes to craft should craft. Each person is going to learn different things, and have their own preferences and leanings, you know? I do think it's harder to get ahead on your own, since you don't have other people you're learning off of, but like a lot of gamers, most solo crafters are pretty shy and don't know how to open up anyway. I just got lots of practice at it, playing as long as I have."

Purrcy nodded. "I've been asked if you'd be willing to take the time to explain to a solo just like that how you crafted the swords I requisitioned from you. She's a friend of Akatsuki's. As a solo who's feeding the big company, I'm also supposed to be the representative of the solos and make sure they're still getting fed. After all, the little companies are the ones that are the real bread and butter of an economy. We're going to mostly focus the stuff coming out of the big guilds to outside markets to bring in outside funds. I'd like to have us all support the in-town small businesses as much as possible so that the internal economy doesn't tank. Would you be willing?"

BigMusclesBill rubbed his head. "Well, when you put it that way..., I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least talk to her. ...A friend of Akatsuki's, huh?" He looked at Tetorō.

Tetorō nodded. "Yeah, about as talkative, too."

BigMusclesBill snorted a soft laugh. "Well, I can talk enough for ten, but I'll dial it down for her." He smiled at Purrcy, "After all, I've had practice." Purrcy blushed. "Though, now that you _can_ understand, it's a lot different. How're you holding up?"

Purrcy shook her head. "I wish I was back out again. It's been hard, but I love Log Horizon and it's important work. I'm sure I'll be able to get back into it soon." But she couldn't keep her ears up fully as she said it. Tetorō reached under the table and put his hand on her arm. The ear closest to him flicked a tiny "thanks".

Purrcy stood, bringing the rest to their feet. They carried their containers to the trash can. Purrcy stopped and stared at it, then sighed. "I forgot to put that on my to-do list. It's still on yours right, Tetorō?"

Tetorō smiled. "Yes. We'll make sure it's all remembered tomorrow when we meet."

"Okay," Purrcy relaxed and waited for the guards to join them. Tetorō led them to a weapons shop about five doors down on the opposite side of the street. The bell on the door jangled in a friendly manner as they entered. It was only about thirty feet by forty feet, rather small, in the front part of the store.

There were display tables and cases around the outer edges and three tables in the middle of the room displaying swords, katanas, and knives of varying lengths and sizes. They had all noticed the proprietress look at them come in, then stiffen when she saw the swords on the belts of the guards. The guards took off to amble around the store, to help her relax a little, as the three main people walked on up to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Tatara," Tetorō said brightly. "Shiroe called so I passed on the request. This is Purrcy," he pointed to Purrcy who bowed slightly and smiled, "and BigMusclesBill."

"Howdy," the blacksmith said in a friendly manner. Tetorō stepped off to the side to not crowd Tatara quite so much. "Purrcy's asked me to tell you about her most recent request over to our blacksmithy. I'm happy to answer any questions. I know when me and my buddies got started back before the catastrophe, it really helped to have other blacksmiths to talk to when we got stuck or just wanted to know if certain techniques would work better than others. You've a good eye for swords, I can tell." He'd done a quick scan of the store merchandise.

Tatara blinked. "Thanks." She paused, looked at Purrcy, then back at BigMusclesBill. "Did the quenching actually work?"

He laughed. "Yeah, surprisingly enough. Wouldn't have ever thought it. Purrcy's got a good feel for stuff like that, though. We had to cut it down actually. We had a lot to quench and we managed to learn that half that stuff and half Blessed Water of Arienor worked just fine. That helped seal the flavor text, too."

Tatara nodded as if she used the Blessed Water of Arienor for the same purpose. "Gonna be hard to come by again," she said with a raised eyebrow.

BigMusclesBill looked at Purrcy. "Will it? Or will you be able to produce more of that?"

Purrcy tipped her head, thinking. "Well, I'm not able to get anything at all right now...but I might be able to put in orders. They think I'm strange enough already, but they like gold so are happy to sell even that for it." She smiled again at that, and watched Tatara's face go fey.

"I'm glad you liked my joke," she said, "Your fairy base comes out prettily when you smile." Tatara blinked in surprise and she nearly blushed. "How did you manage...no never mind," Purrcy said. "We're here to talk blacksmithing. I'll go off on random tangents very quickly." She waved a hand in apology.

Tatara shook her head. Purrcy understood it. _Don't worry about it._ Tatara paused, then said, "If it becomes available, I'd buy some."

Purrcy nodded. "I'll be sure to let you know, then. Don't hold your breath, though I'll do my best to get word out and see if they're willing to find someone to --" she stopped and looked at Tatara. "Do you want to be the point of contact with them? They need to have one person they can trust. You've got enough of the fey in you, they might just do it on the first trade visit."

Tatara raised an eyebrow of surprise. BigMusclesBill nodded. "It's not like you can leave your store to go soloing to get it, but if they were willing to meet with you outside town, you could do that. I'd place orders and I suspect other crafters would also."

"And if you close shop before dark, they prefer to meet at dusk or twilight," Purrcy added. "We'd have to set up the place ahead of time so they knew where to come to. That is, you and I. There's a simple spell that will let them know where to come each time to meet with you that I would need to cast just the first time. It will have my signature on it and yours so they'll trust you because I was the one who vouched for you." Purrcy looked over her shoulder at Tetorō. "Put that on the schedule, too."

He nodded. "Is it okay if I get back with you after tomorrow morning, Tatara?" he asked. She nodded a firm nod. He made a note on his clipboard and put it back away.

"Purrcy...," BigMusclesBill said thoughtfully, rubbing his chin again, "if you're having troubles getting out to treasure hunt...can you do that with some of the other things, like what you've just said with Tatara and the leprechauns?"

Purrcy rubbed an ear. "I'll have to think about it. It may depend on what it is that's wanted." She thought about it some more, then said, "It would help to have a list of things most wanted. Some stuff the answer is an absolute no. I have to do the sneak job to get some stuff. Other things, like this one, it's not a problem."

"Hire and train a sneak thief," Tatara said practically.

Purrcy blinked. "I wonder if that would work? I'm not sure I could trust such a one to properly turn over the profits?" She wrinkled her brow. "But...if I had the company pay them for their efforts, then pay me for the profits? But would they sell here like they're supposed to, or fleece some off the top and sell somewhere else?" Her ears flicked back and forth as she thought.

"It's got merit. I'll keep my eyes and ears open for someone who might work," she finally said with a nod at Tatara. "Thanks for the idea." Tatara blinked. Purrcy looked at BigMusclesBill. "Well, as usual, now that I'm comfortable with talking, I'm doing too much of it. I think, if you don't mind, I'll just leave the two of you here to talk shop without interruption. Thank you both." She bowed with a smile for them both and turned to Tetorō.

"Ah," Tatara said, quickly. Purrcy took Tetorō's arm, then looked back at Tatara. "Thanks."

"No problem," Purrcy said and purred. "We'll see you again." Tatara nodded with a blink and the larger number of the people in the shop exited.

Tetorō patted Purrcy's hand as they began the walk down the street towards home. "I hope it makes Akatsuki happy, too," she said to him in a vague sort of way. "I'm already tired," she admitted with a sigh. "I'm looking forward to just sitting for the rest of the day."

Tetorō frowned. "Purrcy, working in your head isn't just sitting."

"No, it really is. Remember when I sat in Nyanta's lap on the patio? I was actually resting then, too. It's like you lying on the couch when you review. I only spend the HP when doing the coding. A lot of the time is spent in the 'figuring out what I want to code' phase. The code goes together fairly quickly, really. ...Or it's spent in research. I've got some of that to do, too."

Tetorō looked at her very closely. "As long as you're sure to get rest. It's your only vacation time, you know, for who knows how long."

Purrcy sighed. "Yeah, I know." She closed her eyes and put her head on Tetorō's shoulder. As soon as they were out of sight of the main thoroughfare, he let her know she could change to cat. She did, to small cat and rode in the crook of his arm, taking a fast cat nap for the rest of the trip.


	29. No Rest for the Weary

The Purrcy contingent walked into the Log Horizon guild hall. "Welcome back," Naotsugu said from the couch.

Tetorō immediately frowned. "I thought you were going to be on a date?"

Naotsugu nodded. "I'm going, but after everyone gets back and we've conferenced one more time."

"We need to?" Tetorō's eyebrow went up. He'd reached the couch.

Naotsugu held out a hand, then motioned for the cat when Tetorō wasn't sure why. Purrcy was passed over and immediately became full size house cat, purring in Naotsugu's lap as he pet her. "It seems to me that we need an intermediate wrap up," Naotsugu said, finally getting back to the question. "We're just waiting for Shiroe and Akatsuki to be done with their date. Marie will probably be here by then, too. You can take a break until then."

Tetorō nodded. "Thanks. I'll go take some 'personal time' then and be back down in a bit."

Naotsugu nodded. Tetorō took off for his room on the third floor, stopping by the bathroom on the way. He slumped down on his bed, his hands between his knees, feeling the weight of his responsibility on his shoulders. It wasn't getting any easier. It would be good to have the afternoon to relax, and really, he'd lay off Purrcy in order to get it by not watching over her for that time. Nyanta would be there, and Tetorō already knew she was going to pass the middle point of her working needle without having to see it anyway. She was going away so she could.

Just from reading the lists of things she was passing out to everyone else, he already had a fair idea of what was on her list, and she wasn't kidding. It was more full than she had time for. If she was going to be able to do what needed to be done in the next weeks and months, she probably did have to offload what she could in the code realm as soon as she could so they weren't hanging over her, too.

Tetorō flopped back on his bed. It would probably be a good idea for him to figure out what was on his to-do list as well so he was ready with that for the morning meeting. He'd have to carve out time for himself if he was going to survive. Going out with everyone the morning before had been nice, but it had reminded him of how heavy this burden was and that he really should be taking that one day out of every seven, or some equivalent, so he didn't burn out too soon. He let out a big breath, letting it whoosh out of him.

There was a knock on his door. He rolled his head to look at it. "Yeah?" he asked.

Michael stuck his head in. "Can I come in?" he asked.

"I guess," Tetorō said. Michael did, closing the door behind him. "Did she forget you were with us?" he asked.

"No, I don't think so, not any more than she forgets the rest of them. I think she knew you needed her this time." Michael said. "Roll over."

Tetorō looked at him in confusion. Michael gestured. Tetorō did, wondering why. He put his hands under his cheek. The bed creaked as Michael sat down next to him. "Just relax. I promise it's nothing funky, okay?" Michael said. Then large warm hands were on Tetorō's back and he was receiving one of the best Japanese massages he'd ever had.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Tetorō asked in complete surprise.

"Japan, of course. One of the perks to being an officer. We got to use the base masseuse whenever we wanted. Getting them teaches you how to give them. All the other bases in the world are jealous we get the real Japan massages. They're known worldwide as the best." The base of Michael's thumbs pressed into the tight muscles to either side of Tetorō's spine, warming them and hurting just enough to make them tense up, then relax as the pressure moved slowly to the outer muscles of the back.

From the base of the neck down to the tailbone, all the tense muscles in Tetorō's back were warmed and relaxed. The warm hands moved to Tetorō's neck and he lifted his head and put his forehead on his hands so the neck was properly straight. Once the neck was relaxed, Michael did a short stint on Tetorō's shoulders, then moved properly to his head.

By the time he was done, Tetorō was nearly asleep, he'd been so tense before. He sighed as Michael's hands finished. "You're really not going to do anything strange?" he asked.

Michael gave a small laugh. "No." He patted Tetorō lightly on the back. "It was obvious you needed down time. It's my job to make sure you don't melt. We all need the ice for the big gun to last as long as possible. Sleep. I'll ping you when Shiroe gets back."

The bed creaked and rocked again just a little as Michael rose. He pulled a blanket up over Tetorō to keep him warmed, then left the room, shutting the door with a little click. Tetorō relaxed completely and was immediately asleep. It was nice to have an operator that knew what to do and when.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe and Akatsuki entered a quiet and rather sleepy guild hall. When they reached Naotsugu, Shiroe put his hand on his friend's shoulder. It took a bit for the large man to come awake and look at him bleary eyed. "Eh? Oh, you're back?" Naotsugu lifted his head off the back of the couch, where he'd been snoring moments before. He yawned, then looked down at his lap. Shiroe followed the look. "Really. I don't know how she does it, but it never ceases to amaze me that cats really can put people to sleep."

Shiroe nodded. "Cats. They're like that." Akatsuki nodded energetically three times. That was rather a lot of agreement. Shiroe looked over at the chair across from Naotsugu.

Michael was also sleeping when they entered, but his eyes were open now, looking at them, though he looked like he wasn't quite awake either. He nodded a welcome, then said, "Tetorō's sleeping too, but I'll get him up." He switched to being inside the code realm for a few seconds, then came back and nodded. "He'll be a bit to wake up, but he's coming."

"Why's he upstairs?" Akatsuki asked.

Both warriors smiled. "He needed a deeper sleep than the couch would have given him," Michael explained. "He was about to expire. For about three weeks worth."

Shiroe nodded and headed for his chair. Naotsugu was on a chat. "Nap time on the porch is over. Councilor's here." Slowly people began to gather in the main room of the guild hall.

Tetorō came down the stairs still a bit sleepy like the rest that had been napping. Most likely no one had slept very long. He walked around the couch, too weary to bounce over it, then picked up Purrcy and held her to his chest and snuggled in next to Naotsugu, taking his turn to lean on the Guardian. He looked like he should be five and a little girl, but that was like him when he was tired.

Purrcy grumbled a little but once Tetorō was settled, she settled back down as well, right with him on mostly back to sleep. Shiroe smiled just a little to see it, though they'd both have to wake up once everyone arrived.

"Someday, I'm going to come join in that pile," Michael said from his place. He looked up, then got up and moved to his normal seat directly opposite Shiroe.

The twins had arrived, Nyanta following them slowly. His tail moved with the same grace he did, but with experienced eyes, Shiroe could see he was also moving at mostly still asleep. It would take them a bit more time to rouse. He sighed to himself. They had definitely all been moving at too fast a pace for the last couple of weeks. He wouldn't be surprised if he ended up the same when called for dinner.

The door opened and Marielle and Henrietta walked in with Isuzu, Rudy, and Serera. Shiroe didn't say anything. Serera was coming now as a matter of course, though she really didn't need to as a junior member of Crescent Moon. He knew she really wanted to be part of Log Horizon, even with Nyanta no longer an available catch. Since Purrcy had adopted her, too, it would stand. She knew how to keep her mouth closed, perhaps better than Marielle and Henrietta.

When everyone was seated, it was a slightly different arrangement on the couch. Nyanta on the corner closest to Shiroe was normal, but this time it was Tetorō, holding Purrcy, cuddled with Naotsugu, Naotsugu, with Marie cuddling the opposite side she usually did, and Michael had pulled up the extra chair next to him for Henrietta. As Shiroe thought about it, it looked rather like it had looked once before when they'd conferenced.

Naotsugu properly gave Marielle a kiss so she didn't complain about Tetorō. She did blush a little at it, but the look she gave Tetorō was rather of compassion. He'd pretty much fallen back to sleep. "If he could shapeshift, he'd be half that size, wouldn't he?" she asked quietly. "He's been working very hard." Most everyone in the room agreed.

When the "junior officers" were seated in their usual formation, Shiroe cleared his throat. "Thanks everybody, for helping us get this far." That got sleepy people perking up a little more - knowing the meeting was officially starting. "The meeting today was about as expected. We've got a good balance that agreed to come and agreed to stay. There was final buy-in for moving forward with the Akiba Corporation and the expansion plan is mostly solid, save for some practical experimentation. We're in unanimous agreement Crusty will come home. We'll see if he agrees. And, I've got the basic strategy planned for when we meet the Overwritten."

"You can do that already?" Purrcy asked. She was rather awake at that news, her ears perked forward.

"I have enough data for an initial outline, yes." Shiroe answered. Purrcy tilted an ear and patted Tetorō's arm with her paw, then grew large enough his arm gave way and let her down. She sat on his lap, then shrank again to curl up in it, tucking her front paws under her. She stayed quiet, though.

Shiroe paused to think of what else he needed to report. "It looked like Duke Sergiad was where I wanted him at the wedding. We talked afterward, before they returned to Maihama." His eyes went to Purrcy. She looked back with one set of eyebrow whiskers raised and her head tilted. "Was it you?" he asked.

"Yes," she admitted. "I told him he needed to talk to you before things got too far out of hand. It was both necessary, and a way to distract him when I went that morning."

"Hmm," Shiroe answered, but let it lie there for now. "Did he tell you?"

"No. I said you'd tell me what I needed to know."

Shiroe nodded at that. That was perfectly acceptable. He considered what else he needed to say, then nodded. There might be more, but that was enough for now. He looked at Purrcy.

She looked a bit surprised to be called out next. "Ah, after the meeting, I put together the lists of what's next and who needs to do what. Tetorō has those, except he and I need to get together tomorrow first thing and go through his and mine so I can properly schedule when my action items need to get done.

"I called up BigMusclesBill and had him to lunch, then took him over to talk to Tatara and left them to talk shop, since I get in the way if I stay. We've agreed that when I have time to set it up, I'll arrange a trade agreement between the leprechauns and Tatara. She'll be the point source for the element that makes metalworks theft-proof." Her tail swished. "That's all I've got, I think."

Shiroe blinked. "You...wrote it up?"

"Yes," Purrcy said a bit confused. "It was easier that way." She looked up at Tetorō and patted his cheek with her paw, then licked his hand where it was lying near her until he twitched and moved to wake up. "Sorry, dear, but it's time to wake up and have your say."

"Mmm, what?" Tetorō sat up and took his hand back from the rough tongue that was sandpapering the skin off it.

He looked at Purrcy who looked calmly back. "It's your turn to tell what you did today and where we are. I told them I gave you the lists and we're going to go over our lists tomorrow, and that we visited Tatara."

She almost got toppled off Tetorō's lap as he suddenly realized where he was. He blushed bright red and put his hand over his eyes. "You could have woken me up earlier."

"We did, dear. You weren't ready, but now you have to. It's your turn."

Tetorō sighed and rubbed his face with the hand covering it. "Well, alright, I guess. If I was that hard to wake up that I walked down here in my sleep...." He considered where he was on his list, then shook his head. "I'll get the paperwork to the right people. It's going to be really busy for a while, and likely a tight schedule for us to be ready to get out the door. We may even need to have the scheduling meeting in the morning with Shiroe so we aren't stepping on his toes." He looked over to Shiroe. "Are you ready for that? Or will you need more time to think about the things on your plate?"

Shiroe blinked - again. "It's too much to say?"

"Yes," Tetorō answered soberly. "Do you want to review them first?"

"Ah, I think I'd better," he answered. Both Tetorō and Purrcy gave him cynical looks then looked at each other.

Purrcy finally shook her head. "Fine. Give them to him now so he can review them this afternoon. Why you want the additional work, I have no idea."

"So I don't duplicate it?" he answered. It should have been obvious. Tetorō handed over a sheaf of papers. Shiroe took them, then had to studiously not look at them right away, though his eyes kept straying to skim the top page. Purrcy had been rather thorough. He might have to cut back on some of the details.

"When you're done with them, give them back to me and I'll get them to the right people," Tetorō said. Shiroe nodded.

"Almost makes the rest of the meeting a moot point, doesn't it?" Naotsugu asked. "Unless you review them right now."

Shiroe thought about that, then thumbed through the papers until he found one near the bottom with Naotsugu's name on it. He skimmed the page, pulled out pen and ink, made some notations, and handed it to Naotsugu. "There you go." Naotsugu looked happier.

Shiroe sighed. He thumbed through for Marielle's, read through it quickly, crossed off one line item and changed it, thought about what was on his list, added two more lines, and passed the paper down. He hunted for Henrietta's list next and did the same. Everyone sat patiently for him as he worked one by one around the table until he handed Nyanta his. "Sorry, Serera, there isn't one for you, but then you'd be getting one from Marie anyway." Serera bobbed her head in understanding. "The rest are for the Eagles and people not present. If you don't mind, I'll go over those after we're done here. Some are a lot more detailed." Reed agreed with a tip of his head.

Shiroe paused as he reviewed the list Purrcy had made up for him. It was pretty much in line with what he knew he was going to have to do already. He nodded and looked back up at Tetorō and Purrcy. "So, we'll go over the two of yours tomorrow, then?" They both nodded. "Okay. Anybody have anything they want to add right now? I think we'll revisit again after that morning meeting and everyone's had time to fit these lists in with whatever's already on your own personal lists." He looked around the room. It seemed to be sufficient for now.

Shiroe looked at Purrcy. "Please do rest this afternoon, as much as you can."

"I'll do my best," she answered. "I will have to work some as it's the only quiet time I'll have for a while, but I'll do it while resting, too."

Shiroe nodded. He'd expected as much. Purrcy turned and touched noses with Tetorō, who stroked her back. She moved to Naotsugu and gave him a cat kiss too, then rubbed against his chest. "Thanks, Naotsugu," she said.

He gave her a friendly pat. "That's what I'm here for."

"So Tetorō tells me," she smiled and moved to rub against Marielle and purr for her too, and let her get her own pets in.

Marielle gave her a hug. "You take care of yourself, hear?" Purrcy purred and rubbed her head on Marielle's cheek, then moved to Henrietta.

"You'd think you were going away for another two months," Henrietta grumbled. "I thought it was just an afternoon." She was holding Purrcy's face between her hands.

"It is just the afternoon. I'm just getting as many pets as I can since everyone's here right now," Purrcy teased. Henrietta sighed, then gave in and held her in a hug and pet her. Purrcy's purr hadn't stopped.

The leap over to Michael was a change from housecat to kitten. She landed on his shoulder and licked his ear, then walked behind his neck to tickle his opposite ear before he could grab her. "Shi-," he cut it off as he finally captured her on the second shoulder. "Geez, woman-cat. You are as bad a tease as a younger sister. Get over there." He shoved her over to Serera, who took her carefully and gently pet her.

Purrcy grew to small housecat and gave Serera a nose kiss. "It was good to see you again, Serera-chan."

"Thank you, Miss Purrcy," Serera said politely, letting her move on after a face rub and one more pet.

Isuzu got a lick on the cheek and more head rubbing and petting. Rudy was the same, as was Touya, who started out with a mind to just be brief, but in the end needed more time with her to the point of giving her a slight hug. Minori took about as much time.

Akatsuki was next and Purrcy sat on her lap properly, looking her in the face. "Take care of him, and you, too," Purrcy said. "See he rests properly this afternoon, too." Akatsuki nodded, then gently pet Purrcy, who leaned in for a nose kiss that made Akatsuki inordinately pleased for just one moment. Then Purrcy was kitten in Shiroe's lap.

He picked her up and held her in his hands. He looked at her soberly. "If the World AI makes you work hard this afternoon, I shall be displeased," he said sternly. "You must have proper rests and breaks so you don't become ill and unuseful."

"Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe," she answered him, the tip of her tail twitching. He held her in one hand and pet her with the finger of the other hand as she purred for him. Before he could get mesmerized, he handed her off to Nyanta. She leaped up on Nyanta's shoulder and curled around to the opposite side, purring as she went.

"I'll meet you at the door," she told him. "I want to greet the sub-guild, too, so they aren't jealous this time." Shiroe could see her smile.

Nyanta nodded and let her stair step to his lap, then the floor, growing as she went. He bowed to Shiroe. "We'll be back in time for the special dinner, for sure, meow," he said with a wink to the junior officers. They smiled back. Shiroe leaned back in his chair and began to review the papers in his hands, but he kept a corner of his eye out for Purrcy's movements through the Eagles. When she reached Nyanta waiting for her at the door, she transformed to felinoid and smiled at him.

Shiroe looked at the both of them. "Have a good time," he said. "We'll be waiting."

They bowed. "We'll return soon."

As the door closed behind them, Shiroe sighed to himself. He waited ten seconds, then looked at Michael. When Michael nodded, Shiroe said, "There's another force at work behind the scenes. I haven't told anyone for certain yet, because I haven't been able to tease it out. At this time I've decided I can't on my own. She gave me only one clue a long time ago, when she was first here. If it exists it's very difficult to detect. Still, I'm acting on it as if it's a fact. Here's what you need to add to your lists - but don't write them. Just remember them."

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy led Nyanta down the street towards the street that led to the tree she loved. She took his hand and walked close to him, warming their sides up as they went. "I love fall," she said calmly. She was looking around at the plants growing on the sides of the ancient buildings around them. The deciduous ones were turning color in the leaves and the moss was darker in color now. The grass sticking up through the timeworn pavement was gold-green now, no longer bright summer green. Purrcy kicked through the leaves that were beginning to pile on the ground, crunching them and making them shush with each step, enjoying herself as if a little child.

Nyanta strolled at her pace, enjoying the weather and her calmness and warmth. "How are mew going to take me with mew?" he asked.

"Hmm," Purrcy considered it. "Well...I think we'll try having you be cat and me felinoid first. I think I should just be able to carry you with me through the wormhole. If I get there without you, you can call for ProudWing. He knows how to find me. I'm going to start with a small medical visit I need to get done. If you go through with me, you get to meet them and watch. Otherwise, I should be done by the time you get there."

Nyanta wasn't sure he wanted to go through the Summon wormhole. "Do mew think if everything becomes real, that summoning will still occur?"

Purrcy considered that for a long time. Finally she said, "I guess I don't know. It seems an odd thing in our world. It seems that things integral to Adventurers and only Adventurers might go away, but it isn't as clear for the other things, particularly the cross-overs like Summon whistles. They were created for our convenience and reward but the People of the Land can use them, too." Purrcy shrugged. "They can use magic, too, and I suppose there are Summoners among them."

"What would mew do if one of them summoned mew?" he asked.

Purrcy looked at him balefully. "Bite your tongue, Nyanta. If there exists a Person of the Land strong enough to bind me we are in trouble."

An ear flicked and he sighed. "Well...I suppose that's true."

Purrcy turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Nyanta," she said with a fetching look, "I am here with you. It isn't good to think up trouble where none exists. Remember I have been a solo a long time and be at peace." She kissed his cheek and her ear brushed his head as it turned.

He finally relented and put his arms around her and held her, feeling her warm presence, the warmth rising to bring her scent to his nose. After he was ready, she said, "Come, now, let me hold you and we shall see if we can travel together."

"Is it really possible, and do I have to be made as thin as an atom?" he asked, half-joking.

"I think because of the wedding and the new title it will be, and no, you will not feel stretched so thin. It is more like walking through the gate." She paused as she considered that word. "Hmm...I wonder...." But she left it without talking about it in depth.

Nyanta closed his eyes and put his cheek next to hers, then turned into a house cat in her arms, his paws still to either side of her neck and his head resting on her cheek. She cradled him a moment longer, then there was only empty street where they had been, the wind blowing the dry leaves past the space.

-:-:-:-:-

The Caretaker appeared with a creature in her arms they had only seen once before, though this one looked different. It looked like her, when she rested, but rather than black with gold swirls and grey and white flecks like the night sky, this one looked like the grey winter sky. It seemed auspicious that she brought it as winter was on its way, as if she cared for the seasons, not just the creatures of the land.

_Are you warm?_ she asked them. They answered what their needs were. She did her best to provide with what she had. _Are you sufficiently fed?_ she asked them. They answered they had worked hard. _Bring those who need healing_ , she required. They did and she healed them with her hands, but not the magic that burned them.

The whole time, the grey werecat with a white underbib sat silently and watched what she did. When she was done and they had properly repaid her, she took the werecat back in her arms and the two of them disappeared, as she always did when she could come to their pleas.

-:-:-:-:-

Three more times Purrcy walked through space to heal the creatures that needed her before winter cold set in, and found one that she needed an ingredient from in exchange for what she could give. Then she took them to ProudWing's aerie. When she set Nyanta down there, he changed back into felinoid.

[Welcome Nyanta, Purrcy,] ProudWing's voice sounded in their heads.

"Hello, ProudWing, WhiteCloud," both Nyanta and Purrcy said. "I've come to rest a few hours," Purrcy said to them. "Is there anything either of you need before then?"

[Come, see.] WhiteCloud shifted a wing and leaned away from that side a bit.

Purrcy moved to her side to look and paused. "Come, see, Nyanta. I knew it would be soon." Nyanta moved to stand behind her and look over her shoulder where she crouched, reaching. Under WhiteCloud's wing were two infant gryphonlets.

As Purrcy began to inspect the health of the infants, Nyanta looked at WhiteCloud. "Congratulations. I didn't know, but I'm sure mew must be very purroud."

WhiteCloud did look proud. [Thank you. And it is thanks to you they were able to be born safely. My Summoner was willing to allow me the time to bear them and has said he will only call if he has great need.]

"That is wonderful. I'm glad I was able to be of small help." Nyanta put a hand softly on WhiteCloud's shoulder and let his ears and tail tell his soft pleasure. To be able to have taught her Summoner to speak to her so that this most wonderful of miracles could occur was a blessing.

Nyanta watched Purrcy's checkup until she was done. She turned to WhiteCloud then, to make sure she was also healthy and Nyanta bent down to softly touch the downy fluff around the head of one of the gryphonlets. The gryphonlet was now very awake from Purrcy's handling and it looked at him just as curiously as he looked at it. "Hello," he said to it. "I'm a friend of meowr father's."

He felt warm soft tickling as ProudWing's head appeared over his shoulder. [You are kind, but properly, he is my master. He holds my Summon whistle. The Caretaker is his wife. You did well to allow her to see to you, both of you. You will also respect Nyanta.]

[Yes, Papa,] both piped up.

"How old are they?" Nyanta asked.

[Three days,] ProudWing was as his name - very proud of them.

"Already they talk and understand such concepts?" Nyanta was very surprised.

ProudWing hissed a laugh at him. [If they didn't, they wouldn't last long in this world, would they? And because both of their parents are very old, they have inherited immediately the capacity to speak, being born of a commensurate intelligence.] He gave a stern eye to his children. [Though they still will have much learning and growing to do to understand the world.] The gryphonlets settled, properly scolded.

Nyanta nodded. "Listen well to meowr parents. They will help mew live long and happy lives. They are very good parents to have been born to." He stood up and stepped back, taking ProudWing away just a little to talk to him. "Mew would have told me if I called for mew, I hope."

ProudWing nodded. [I would have, though for me it isn't as critical.]

Nyanta shook his head. "Until they are old enough to be left alone, I shouldn't call for mew, so mew can care for all three of them."

ProudWing shook his head. [Nyanta,] he looked up so that Nyanta also had to look up at the tall grey mountain walls around them, [you see we are well protected in this cave with a vertical entrance. It is so they are protected while we hunt. All creatures who fly are like thus. It is not an odd thing for both of us to be gone at the same time while they are young.] He looked back at Nyanta. [It teaches them to be still and quiet while they wait for us, and if something should come, to hide - or to catch it and eat it for themselves.]

Nyanta considered that, an ear turning back. It turned back forward and he said, "PurroudWing, even still. There are things they may not be able to hide from, and things that if they eat will harm them. It would be sad to lose even one of them. We will be traveling soon. I will see if we can do it by some other means than flight for the first part. After that, we will have our own methods of travel. That way at least mew can be home to feed them if WhiteCloud's Summoner should have to call for her. At what age are they able to fend for themselves?"

ProudWing tipped his head and looked at him. [At four months they begin to learn to fly and by seven we will be taking them out to teach them to hunt. But that is a very long time. If you need me, please call. It is my joy as well as my duty to come when you do.]

Purrcy's hand slipped into Nyanta's. "I agree with Nyanta, but then we see as humans see," she smiled at ProudWing. "All three of them appear healthy and well. Have you stayed the same since I last saw you? WhiteCloud said you were in a fight over food."

ProudWing's head reared back and he gave a glare to his wife. WhiteCloud turned her head away, preferring her mate to be healthy. Nyanta almost laughed. He squeezed Purrcy's hand. "Will mew see that my steed is purroperly seen to, so that I can know I have one that is purrfect, rather than injured in any way."

ProudWing's ears went down in apology and chagrin, but Purrcy knew Nyanta was teasing. Her whiskers twitched and she stepped out from him and bowed to him. "Certainly, Good Sir. Right away." She walked over to ProudWing and had him show her where the damage had been done. It only took a few minutes for her to perform her check and put some salve on the wound to reassure herself it would heal antiseptically.

Again, Nyanta watched as she did her work. When she was done and rose, wiping her forehead even though she was cat and not human, he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms round her. "And now, mew must rest." He wouldn't let her move until she relaxed and relented.

He turned her around to face him and she leaned on his shoulder, placing a hand on his chest, listening to his heartbeat for a moment, before sighing and becoming the cat being held. He pet her slowly until she calmed into light sleep. "PurroudWing, can I lean on mew a bit until it's time to go home?" he asked the gryphon in front of him.

[Of course. Is she not well?] ProudWing asked.

Nyanta's nose whiskers twitched slightly, and he waited to answer until he was sitting on the ground and leaning back on ProudWing's shoulder where they could talk and include WhiteCloud if she wished to converse also. "Inari has been abusing her," he finally said. "We, of Log Horizon, have been fighting it and teaching Inari what is proper of a Summoner of an Adventurer. This afternoon is the only time she has to rest and still she has been working to help the creatures of the land."

He looked down at Purrcy's collar. It was decreasing from the yellow-green down to the green-indigo of sleep, but there were still occasional bursts of brighter yellow and orange. He sighed. "And it looks like she means to continue working the mind while she rests the body." When the fifth light lit to the green-indigo, he knew it was true. He gave her a light pat to the face in reproval, but he knew she didn't feel it. He also knew he couldn't prevent it. She hadn't spent any time at all on any of her code projects since the collar had been put on.

He looked up at ProudWing. "How do I steal a whistle from something I cannot reach? If she is taken from me by it, how shall I retrieve her?" He closed his eyes, leaning his head back to rest it on the soft feathers over the firm muscles of the gryphon. "We've been purromised she will be returned to us. Can a thing that appears as a god keep such a purromise? Does such a purromise even have meaning to such a one?"

A smooth beak touched Nyanta's face and rubbed him gently. [Rest. We will keep watch over you both.]

Nyanta held still a moment longer, then nodded. "We must be back at the guild hall by dinner. Please wake us in time."

[I will.] A wing shifted to cover them both with warmth. Nyanta continued to pet Purrcy until he also was resting and dozing, as warm in his feathered hiding place as if he were in the sun on his porch, save here he was also comforted by the presence of those who understood his worries, even if they couldn't answer them.

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta woke again when he began to get cold. The wing had been removed from around him. He looked up at ProudWing. [Good evening. It is time to return. I can have you there shortly, once you're ready. I think it would be good to let her continue to sleep on the journey home?]

Nyanta finished waking up, then lifted Purrcy up above his head. ProudWing put his head down so that Nyanta could put her on the gryphon's head, the way they often rested together. Nyanta stretched out all his muscles, groomed a bit, then rose to put the saddle on ProudWing. He was rather surprised ProudWind could stand up with Purrcy still balanced on his head.

When the saddle was on, Nyanta went to WhiteCloud. "Thank mew for letting us stay to rest in meowr home again. May meowr little ones continue to be happy and healthy." He pet her cheek as she lay her head against his.

[Thank you, Nyanta. Please continue to have courage. It is a new thing for you both, but it is bearable. She won't die. She is needed.] WhiteCloud encouraged him.

He leaned into her a bit, then said, "Thank mew," and turned back to ProudWing. "I'll send him back straightway." She gave a nod.

As they flew back to Akiba, Nyanta was thoughtful. Finally he said to ProudWing, through the party chat, "ProudWing, the things I said today...they are the things mew also wonder, are they nyot?" He looked over to his right at the scenery rolling away underneath them and pet Purrcy in his lap unconsciously.

"I cannot decide. What would be best? I would also free mew of them, but I can see fear in that as well. If I said I would break meowr whistle, mew would be free of a master to summon mew at their whim. But if mew died, there would be none to recall mew and meowr family would be left without a father and husband." He paused, feeling the emptiness that he himself had left his own wife and son with.

"If I gave the whistle to WhiteCloud then she could call mew if that happened. If mew died together and she weren't called...well it seems there is that case if a Summon holds a Summon's whistle. Is the way it is best after all, when the whistle is held by one who is also immortal, or who can pass it down through the generations to see that you return safely back? ...Or do mew sometimes wish for the darkness of oblivion?" That option still frightened him, but he felt he ought to offer it. Brenner's words that he welcomed that had made it an option Nyanta had been unwilling to consider before, but now understood that others might.

There was silence for a time as ProudWing pondered. He finally answered, [Nyanta, I have been researching your earlier question of what happens when a whistle is broken.] Nyanta's ears went forward in interest. [I was finally able to speak with a hippogriff who was very ancient. He told me that his whistle had been broken by a young holder and for many, many years he wasn't called. Then one day, perhaps hundreds of years later, he was suddenly summoned. While serving during that time he had the opportunity to overhear the story told by his Summoner.]

ProudWing's ear turned back towards Nyanta. [The new Summoner had found the whistle, whole, in a dungeon as a prize. The same dungeon he had been born as a Summon in at the beginning.]

Nyanta sat up straight, his ears turning. "So, that would mean that even if a whistle is broken, it can be restored by the magic of this world and placed again in its original resting place." He thought about it. "Likely...the dungeon had been walked enough times for his whistle to come up again as a prize. He was still listed as a Summon linked to the dungeon and he was not linked to an owner.

"Like when we use a potion and the bottle disappears. Somewhere in the world it reappears with more potion in it, even though we don't understand how or when." He chewed on that for a bit. "So, it would be like the breaking of the whistle is the breaking of the link, or contract, between the Summoner and the Summon, but it doesn't turn a Summon into an unsummonable."

ProudWing nodded. [The reasoning is sound.]

Nyanta sighed. He didn't really like that. It meant Purrcy would always be a Summon. "It seems pointless to break it then, unless mew hated the Summoner and could accidentally step on it to get a new and hopefully better one."

ProudWing laughed. [It could never happen.]

"No, it would be difficult," agreed Nyanta. He stroked Purrcy's fur again. "Then, it would be better to not break it, but to rather see it in the hands of one who cared and was trustworthy."

[I think so,] ProudWing agreed. [For me, if it is you, that is sufficient enough. Though...,] he looked backwards from one eye at Nyanta, [perhaps I would be happier if you also held WhiteCloud's whistle. Then I would know the fate of one would be the fate of the other.]

Nyanta nodded. "I can see that. ...For now, her Summoner enjoys having her too much, and isn't a bad master." ProudWing agreed. "But if we find the way home, and I get my wish to stay, I will ask him if he will give it to me before he goes. It is quite possible that all of the whistles in the hands of Adventurers that day will return to their dungeons and places of origin again."

There was silence for a bit, then ProudWing said, [That is an acceptable arrangement.] And a bit later, [You're concern is that you believe that the Caretaker's whistle is held by someone who is not trustworthy, or doesn't care?]

"Correct," Nyanta said, his voice flat. "How can a logical creation with no emotions or understanding of them care? Inari has already purroven it doesn't by abusing Purrcy in many ways. It wasn't allowing her to rest at all, and was using her body and mind beyond the limits it was meant to be used for.

"I don't think I need to reiterate what it did to her in Minami when she didn't even have a body. We've had to set restrictions of agreement and force in order for it to allow her to have what little rest she does get. Because we are required to assist, even we are being pushed beyond what is reasonable. Only our own desperate desires to see the same goals met continue to move us forward."

[How are you even able to get that much?] ProudWing wanted to know.

Nyanta smiled a grim smile. "We have the greatest mind in Yamato, if not all Theldesia, at our head. It wants him and he sets the terms to have him. He is not summonable, but must be reasoned and treatied with."

ProudWing nodded and gave a small laughing hiss. [Yes, the Archmage Shiroe. He is formidable. Even this is legendary.] He paused, then added, [Well, I suppose we saw it before, but it is still comforting to know that he is willing to care for the Caretaker. If he held her whistle, it would also be acceptable.]

Nyanta pursed his lips and his heart went hard. He agreed, but couldn't bring himself to say anyone other than he should have the whistle of his wife. "When I first believed he held it, it was sufficient for the time." He felt the gryphon sigh under his legs. There wasn't anything to say to it though, not even for himself.

-:-:-:-:-

When Nyanta could see the lights of Akiba making the sky glow, he set ProudWing to a long circuitous route in, making him rise high in the sky first. When the course was set, he lifted the cat from his lap and turned her upside down in his arm. With an open palm he rubbed her chest feeling the soft underbelly fur. There was a slight twitch at the base of her tail, though most of Purrcy was relaxed in physical sleep still.

He ran his hand down her front leg until he reached the paw. Gently pressing on the leathery pads with his thumb, he made each claw tip come out of its sheath, rubbing the top of the paw with his fingers. When it pulled away, he moved to the other front leg, again running his hand down its full length and gently playing with the paw pad and claws. When it tensed so the claws stayed out, he moved to the belly again, rubbing the chest with his fingers, then petting her down to her withers. The tail twitched again.

With a glint in his eye, he gently grasped both back paws in his hand to hold them away from his face and lifted her, still belly up, and began to groom her along her belly and inner side. When she squirmed he held on more firmly and continued until she gasped out, "Nyanta! Stop...can't...breathe!" He purred deep in his chest, shifted her, and started in on the other side.

He was suddenly holding his wife. She was facing him and wearing her flying sweater and jeans and opening her mouth to scold him. He attacked her neck before she could get the words out, holding her head with the hand that had been holding her paws, so that she couldn't get away. In desperation her hand pushed on his side, then slid down it to his sensitive flank.

He paused, considering, then groomed along the underside of her chin around to the other side of her neck to continue. She began to run her hand across his lower belly to the other flank when it ran into a body part that hadn't ever been there before and didn't belong on a felinoid. Her hands were suddenly in the air and she was rocking back from him in surprise. He let her, but didn't let her go too far, still holding on to her.

"N-Nyanta!" She blinked at him in shock. "You - you're going to work on that next? When it's being difficult?"

Nyanta took her head between both hands and looked into her eyes. Quietly he said, "Please don't misunderstand. It isn't for mew. It is selfishly only for me." He could feel her begin to tremble in his hands as her breath came in a gasp. He pulled her in for a long kiss, then told her in her ear what she was going to do for him.

"S-so greedy, Nyanta," she wriggled.

"Nevertheless, mew will do it for me." He pulled her in for a kiss again, then simultaneously ran the other hand down her front, feeling pubescent buds grow up under it as he moved down to her flank. He rested that hand on her thigh and pulled her head to his shoulder. As he pet the trembling felinoid on the back of her head, he moved back up, one breast at a time, massaging each until they were exactly the sizes he wanted. When he had finished with the fourth and top one, he said quietly in her ear. "This is what I want. Memorize it."

"Yes, Nyanta." He wrapped his tail around her waist and shifted sides, silently telling ProudWing to take them down without notice to the clearing by the tree. He was done by the time they arrived. It wasn't until ProudWing was gone that he allowed either one to speak again. Lifting Purrcy up from the ground where he'd left her while removing the saddle from ProudWing, he pulled her to him again.

"Nyanta...," she said because he'd lifted the restriction, "o-only when we're alone, right?"

His eyes glinted again. "Tonight I will approve what mew wear, and what mew wear will please me." She gulped and nodded. "Put on meowr favorite, and then we will modify it." Her loose, flowy gold-speckled black blouse and pants were on immediately. He stepped back, making her stay still. "Tighten the bodice around the top two," he ordered quietly.

It took them ten minutes before he was finally pleased with the amount of tightness around the top two breasts and the perfect amount of cleavage showing, as well as shoulders and upper back. Now she looked more like the majority of half-beast Adventurer females, though not as busty as Marielle, which was too much for him. Only he and she knew the others were present under the blouse and pants. After all, when you have a transformation mage as a wife, why settle for one size for all four pairs?

"Mew will hold this until I say we are done," he looked her in the eyes. She gulped and nodded again. He changed his own clothes slightly to be more proper for party going and to match her, then held out his elbow to her. She slipped her hand into it and meekly walked with him. After a bit he added, "After all, if mew'll spend all that HP and time on others, it is only right for mew to spend some of it on meowr husband who has been working hard for mew all this time."

Her ears and tail fell in apology. "Yes, Nyanta."


	30. Stormfront Rising

Shiroe set down his pen and stretched his interlocked hands out in front of him, palms out to stretch his fingers. Leaning on his elbows, he sighed. He wasn't sure how he managed to get so much done each day and yet feel like he was still only crawling along. He could understand why Purrcy and the World AI would want to move fast enough that millionths of a second could look like minutes. That didn't make it better, but he could understand it.

Still, moving through each day enjoying life as it passed was also important. It couldn't always be work. The dates helped him remember that. He smiled at Akatsuki. "Thank you." A raised eyebrow. "For keeping me company again."

A pleased nod and she unfolded from her kneeling position. Akatsuki actually didn't stay all day every day. She had her set times she was present in his office. Sometimes she was practicing, sometimes on duty in the city, and at least once a week she was at Water Maple Manor to visit the Princess and her other friends. And of course when they were on their dates, she wasn't here in this room either.

"Are you ready for Michael?" Shiroe took his turn to nod wordlessly. "He asked if you'd meet him at the shipyard. He says it will be easier if you all work there over the maps. I'll escort you."

Shiroe stood. Three of the pieces of paper on his desk disappeared into his list under his scroll file pointer. Akatsuki opened the door for him and he walked out. It felt just a little odd, since technically he, as the male, should open the door for her, but he'd given up about the fifth week. Now they were dating it was awkward again, but so far they'd resolved that somewhat. He held the door only when they were on a date and if they both forgot, they let it pass. He tried hard to not forget, though.

Tetorō was on the couch, lying on his back as he did when it was his turn to be the one to hold down the fort as it were. One knee was up and the other leg was resting on top of it. His hands were behind his head. He tipped his head up to look at them as they approached to walk past. "Shipyard," Akatsuki said to him.

"Have fun," he answered back. "Naotsugu and Marie are at the ice cream shop, though why in the middle of the fall season I have no idea. She says she has to be back to bend to Henrietta's whip again by mid afternoon and Naotsugu says he'll go with her and be back before dinner."

Shiroe nodded. Naotsugu did need to start getting in more time at Crescent Moon, not just give Marielle more individual attention. He wondered how the wedding plans were going. Surely Marielle wasn't letting those slip at all. He expected grand since she was so into event planning. "Make sure if there's something we can do, we're doing it," Shiroe said, "but not so much we fold, too."

"Got it, Councilor," Tetorō answered. "How much of his time are you willing to give up?"

Shiroe paused halfway to the door. "Let me think about it. We've got to add in today's data, too." Tetorō snapped his fingers and held up a thumb.

Shiroe continued to the door and he and Akatsuki joined the people of the city out in the streets. Their own street was becoming a bit more busy compared to when they had first moved in now that the Academy was moving forward in capacity and people were getting used to the idea that they might actually like to spend some of their time and money on improving themselves there. "Let's swing by the Academy," he said to Akatsuki. She nodded and they turned that way.

The walk through the leaves crunching under their feet was pleasant. Akatsuki even relaxed enough to attack leaves fluttering to the ground so that it looked like she was playing with them. Shiroe smiled slightly, contented to see it.

The Academy itself was looking much more like an academic building and less like an ancient ruin of a factory building. The grounds were also nicely in shape, though the few plants that had been placed as landscaping were now twigs and brown sticks since it was fall. In the spring they would put on green growth again and beautify the grounds. Shiroe nodded, pleased.

He breathed in a deep breath of the cool air filled with the scents of sweet leaves and earth. Over on the left side of the Academy building he could hear the battle instructor calling out orders. The lower to mid level solos had welcomed the classes put on by instructors from the fighting guilds. They'd offered one class to teach them how to party up, and another one for increasing capability, and Akatsuki had taken on one of the last series of classes as an assistant to teach the Mysteries, letting D.D.D. handle the main instruction.

"How did the last class go? It finished before we talked to Souji, right?"

Akatsuki nodded one firm nod. "They learned well enough. ...I think Souji's class will be better, though."

"Have you talked to him lately?"

Akatsuki shook her head. "Said he was going to learn it for himself first, then come ask questions."

That made sense. She opened the door into the Academy building and he walked in. They walked through the building, looking to see what had been done and to listen as they passed the classes being taught. He was pleased with the student count. A few classes still only had four or so students, but now most of them were on average about ten or twelve. That was good progress.

There were only a few rooms on the top floor that were still detritus-encumbered, but it looked like that was still a work in progress. The top floor was apartments now for the students from Minami. At one end of the third floor was the cafeteria. There were open areas in that space and Shiroe wondered what the planned use for those spaces was.

They were about to leave the cafeteria when the high heels approaching down the hall entered the room and Shiroe froze slightly. "Henrietta."

"Shiroe! To what do I owe this surprise visit? Were you reading my mind again?" Henrietta pushed her glasses up to settle more snugly on the bridge of her nose.

"No, just wanted to see how things were going since I was headed out anyway. What are those spaces for?" he pointed to them, mostly to distract her from her plans for his own itinerary.

"Right now we're only selling Crescent Burger foodstuffs here, and have the kitchen space for those who want to cook for themselves. We're trying to win several other food vendors into renting space there so the students have more options. That should bring in income from the students who don't live here as well, since they have a hard time getting to the food court in center town. They'll also be able to take more classes. We've found that a lot of stide ts are interested in more classes, but once they get to the food court, they don't want to come back."

"How's rental going?" he asked.

"We've got three almost signed on and two more are considering it. For the most part they're looking for people to hire on before they can move in."

"Are the Minami students willing to hire on?"

"We've offered it and a few are considering it as their earnings option once their service contract is up. It's a bit of a timing juggling act at the moment," Henrietta admitted.

"I'd think that if they're earning money they can buy their way off the service contract, or some similar arrangement," Shiroe offered.

Henrietta nodded. "If you say so. We've discussed it and were going to bring it up at the Board meeting."

"Do that," Shiroe said immediately. "Just because I've said it doesn't mean you should circumvent the Board."

Henrietta looked down at her clipboard and Shiroe wondered how to escape past her since she was still between him and the door. He shifted slightly to see if she would move to let him pass. She didn't move and he sighed to himself. "Will you be teaching your section of the third level Hacker class this week or next?" Henrietta looked up at him, her eyes convicting him.

Shiroe held still as he ran through all the things on his plate. "Can I give you the answer tomorrow?"

"If you're going to do that, then perhaps you should just come to the board meeting." Her tone was unsurprisingly accusing.

"That's tomorrow?" Shiroe asked.

"I believe so," Henrietta answered, blinking at him mildly.

"If it's in the afternoon, I'll try to come," he promised the best he could. He hoped it was afternoon. Tetorō and Purrcy wouldn't be ready until then. Henrietta finally nodded and turned to let him pass. He gratefully, but cautiously, moved passed her for the door. "And Shiroe," he froze, "let Purrcy know we need to hear from her sometime...anytime...." Shiroe crunched his head into his shoulders a little and nodded, then escaped as fast as he could. Things were getting a bit more difficult than he'd expected. He supposed he'd been warned, though.

Things were busy at the shipyard, too. Shiroe paused at the drydock to look over the newest steamship under construction. It looked like it would be more streamlined and more sturdy than the Ocypete. The joint construction techniques with the Technicians seemed to be helping move that technology forward as well. It was nice to see just what they were all capable of and the forward progress that could be made when they all worked together. It helped him just to see that much in front of him.

When he'd seen his fill, he let Akatsuki take him into the offices and to the one Michael was waiting for him in. They knocked, then entered. There was a table surrounded by chairs and covered with maps and charts. Michael, Gareth, and the star navigator, Christian, were sitting at the table. They'd likely been going over chart navigations, but had paused at the knock and were waiting for them politely.

"Hello," Shiroe said, keeping his demeanor as pleasant as he could given anyone who looked him in the eye was rather put off by how sharp they were. "Are you ready for me?"

"Sure," Michael said, "anytime. Please sit here." He pulled out the seat next to him.

"Welcome," Christian said, it being his office.

"Thank you." Shiroe said politely. "I've said it before, but thank you again for coming to share your knowledge with us."

"Sir Michael and Squire Gareth are excellent students. I've appreciated having such persons to teach," Christian said politely.

Shiroe didn't blink, but the reminder of their status was a bit jarring. He'd barely managed to remember to stay somewhat royal himself on entering. It was a bit of practice for him. He turned to Michael. "I'll need to know timing to get from city to city by ship, though we'll also have the train after the Winter Festival. We could potentially go to one or two cities before then, then the rest after. I don't think it has to be all at once before the festival. Have you already worked up a potential course?"

"You wanted to get to the main Adventurer Cities only this round, correct?" Michael asked.

Shiroe sighed and sat back. "I know we should also visit the People of the Land, but...I'm not sure we can fit that in too." He ran a hand over his head. "Let's look at just the Adventurer cities first and the timing there. If we can fit in the main Person of the Land contacts in between, then we'll add that in."

"Okay," Michael nodded and pulled out a map to set on the top of the pile.

Shiroe looked at Akatsuki. "If you want to go do something while I'm here, go ahead. I'll call you when we're getting close."

Akatsuki bowed. "I will, thank you." They were into the discussion by the time the door clicked quietly behind her.

-:-:-:-:-

"Naotsugu, Honey," Marielle reached around him and picked up a napkin off the counter. "When did you get so messy when you ate?" She wiped his chin. "Are you distracted by something?" The napkin moved on down to his chest to wipe the chocolate ice cream off his sweater.

"Well, actually I was," he admitted. "It's a shame to waste chocolate ice cream." He kissed her nose. "Thank you."

She looked at him, curious. He glanced back over her shoulder again, but the figure he'd seen was gone. He shook his head and called up a chat. "Nazuna, I think I just saw another minor Overwritten. Over by the ice cream shop. Headed northwest. How many does that make it since the festival?"

Nazuna answered promptly. "Rather more than normal, actually. I think we're up to two a day now, with that one."

"You're popping them off?" Naotsugu asked.

"Yes."

"Capture one next time. They might be trying to get to Purrcy or Shiroe to talk to them."

"...." The silence went on for a while, then, "You're not joking."

"No," he answered mildly.

She sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll pass the word along. How many do you want?"

"I would think one would be fine, but if you can lock up two or three we might get a full sentence out of them combined." He took another bite of his ice cream before it melted, though it wasn't going to very fast this time of year. Marielle slipped her hand in his and he held on to her colder hand to warm it up. "Thanks." He closed the chat and returned to talk to his date.

"They really want to try it, huh?" Marielle raised an eyebrow.

Naotsugu thought about that. "Well, that's what's going down in China. I think it's more interesting that they look like they're trying to talk before then, while we're still here. Having that many show up of the minor ones either means they're getting ready to send in a big boss here, or they're desperate."

Marielle's brow wrinkled, "Do you really think they're going to send something big again?"

Naotsugu shrugged. "A wicked Santa, maybe, or some such. They haven't rotated the new monsters much, surprisingly. You know, the way the Goblin King works on a common rotation. I'm surprised the new package didn't set up the new bosses that way, too. It still looks random to me, when they show up. But we didn't get one for the Fall festival, so it could be we'll get one for the winter holiday. Or they're trying to make connections."

Marielle shook her head. "For all I'd hate to have to fight a nasty Santa, I think it very unlikely they're making connections. We're better off preparing for another in-city fight."

Naotsugu agreed. It was Soujirou's to announce, though. He tucked her now slightly more warmish hand in his elbow and led her over to a table so he could finish eating his ice cream without losing any more.

"Naotsugu, I can get you want some, but is that really the reason they're showing up?" Naotsugu sat up straight in a bit of surprise.

"I don't know, Souji. If you want to call the troops up, go ahead. Better safe than sorry, you know? It's just the next level and the Councilor's been wanting to have one face Purrcy when one shows up we can nab." That was the best answer Naotsugu had.

"Oh, okay. We'll do that and let you know. Thanks."

"No problem." Naotsugu shook his head. "Sorry, Marie, to mix work with the date."

Marielle sighed and put her chin in her hand. "I suppose I shouldn't complain, but it is the first time we've had since before the festival."

"Yeah, I know," he pulled her over to lean into him, then on a sudden thought offered her some of his ice cream.

She laughed and took a smallish bite. "I do have my own, but I'll take that as payment," she said.

He smiled. He'd meant it that way. He took another bite of his own. Marielle leaned over and whispered, "Indirect kiss."

Naotsugu blushed and laughed, then gave her a real kiss. "I like the direct one's better."

"Nothin' wrong with that at all," she smiled at him and took another one before tucking into her own ice cream.

-:-:-:-:-

Akatsuki rapped on the window lightly. For the second time she wondered if she should be entering through the door. The second time this visit, that is. She'd been entering in through the window for a long time now, it rather having become habit, though it was certainly odd. No one else entered other people's living places through windows, unless they were thieves. She wasn't one, and she did always knock politely now. She hadn't at first. The first time had been an accident almost.

Princess Raynessia's hands opened the window then she stepped back. "Not the maid?" Akatsuki was surprised enough to ask.

Raynessia smiled. "Not today. You haven't been here in a while and I guess I was a bit excited."

Akatsuki stepped through the window and closed it behind herself. It was going to be too chilly to enter that way soon. Maybe she should practice coming through the door properly. "Excited?" She paused, "Eh, the family?"

"They've gone home already, it's okay," Raynessia reassured her odd friend. They certainly wouldn't have understood why that kind of entrance was okay in any setting. "Yes," Raynessia added, referencing the first question, as she moved to her favorite perch on the couch.

There was already a fire in the fireplace, but it only blazed low - just enough to keep the large sitting room warm but not overly so. A coal snapped as Akatsuki passed it. She loved the smell of wood fires and so paused briefly before taking her normal place on the couch opposite Raynessia, sitting on her knees as always. Once she was settled, Raynessia continued. "I've just received word that the tailors Lady Purrcy requested are on their way here and should arrive tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Akatsuki sat up even straighter.

"Yes. They are very excited about working with an Adventurer. Father says that they were quite willing to come."

"That's nice," Akatsuki wasn't sure what else to say. If they were coming tomorrow ...tomorrow would be very full. "Ah ...will they ...expect to see Purrcy right away?"

Raynessia paused, tilting her head a little, a lock of silver hair slipping down over the front of her shoulder to curl tantalizingly around her breast. Akatsuki was captivated by it, though she refused to stare. "Well ...normally, they'd expect to be seen rather soon after arriving ...but, of course they'd wait on Lady Purrcy's pleasure."

Akatsuki blinked. "Not pleasure. Requirements. Her schedule is ...rather full still."

"Oh," Raynessia gave a slightly disappointed wrinkle to her brow. Normally she wouldn't really care.

"Did you...want to see her too?" Akatsuki asked.

Raynessia blushed slightly and looked away. "Well, not if her schedule won't allow it. I hate to impose. I'm sure I'm rather low on her list to be visiting."

Akatsuki raised a hand, wanting to protest, then not sure she could. She considered the proper answer. "She sees you, and all of the Water Maple ladies, as friends. But her schedule isn't her own yet." That was the best she could do.

Raynessia nodded knowingly. "It's only to be expected. If we need to house the tailors for a day or two, we'd be happy to, though I'm sure they'll be anxious to get back to their work before too long."

Akatsuki nodded. "We'll fit it in as soon as we can. I'll let Tetorō know."

"Thank you," Raynessia said and settled back. They settled to their usual comfortable sitting together occasionally punctuated by a few comments, sipping the warm tea the maid brought them. The warm crackle of the fireplace was a nice background to their visit.

-:-:-:-:-

"Serera, hold up!" Isuzu called. The four from Log Horizon jogged to catch up with their friend.

"What's up?" Touya asked Serera. She was holding five bags on her arms and balancing a basket between them.

"Ah...," she started to answer, then focused on not losing anything as her friends immediately helped her by taking things out of and off her arms. In the end she had only one bag in one hand, and one of Minori's elbows in the other and they were all walking again. Her brain scrambled to remember the question she'd been asked. "We're having a few extra guests to dinner tonight and the food delivery isn't until tomorrow morning, so we were a little short."

Minori nodded. "We've been out shopping too, with the same problem."

Serera looked at her in confusion. "Where are your bags?"

Minori smiled. "Already delivered, Miss Serera!" Rudy waved a hand towards their guild halls. "We decided to come to your rescue as soon as we saw you in distress."

"Thank you," Serera bobbed her head at her friends. Then she realized they'd come from the direction of the market as well, not the guild hall. Then she remembered she could have just "sent" all the bags to the kitchen herself. She sighed at her own lack of intelligence.

Minori patted her hand. "It's not like you could have done the same. You have chefs in your kitchen all the time. Who knows if you'd have put the basket down on top of the freshly baked pie. That would have caused quite a commotion."

Serera smiled at her friend. Minori always knew what to say to make her feel better. "That's true. Only today it's mousse. I'd hate to destroy that. It's one of my favorites."

"I like mousse, too," Minori agreed. Touya nodded in agreement as well.

They arrived chatting to Crescent Moon guild hall and entered together as a group. They headed directly for the kitchen to put the food away, and found that, indeed, the counters were full of small cups filled with mousse. Serera would have made a very big mess if she'd just sent her bags to the kitchen. She did look around and find a corner where if she sent the larger things, like the basket, it wouldn't likely be in the way and could be retrieved when it was seen or she arrived after another shopping trip like this one. Then she felt better.

Once the food was put away - the friends from Log Horizon knew where everything in the kitchen went as well as she did - they walked back out of the kitchen and into the sitting area out in the front entry area. They piled on the chairs and bean bags in one of the corners and visited happily for a bit since they weren't in a hurry to get dinner started just yet.

After about a half-hour the door opened to let Marielle and Naotsugu enter. The pair spied them and walked over to visit as well. After a few minutes Henrietta walked in through the door. "There you are, Marie. Come on, we've got work to do." Marielle grabbed Naotsugu's hand. He gave a wink to the five and let himself be pulled along.

Suddenly Henrietta stopped full stop, almost getting knocked over by the other two. She glared at the younger Log Horizon members. "See that Purrcy knows we need to have the Board meeting tomorrow, as soon as she can be bothered to fit us in. Shiroe says he'll try to come if it's in the afternoon, though he'll probably just weasel out of it." She turned away again and muttered, "Damn inconvenient she won't let anyone friendlist her."

Naotsugu stared at Henrietta as they restarted their walk out. "You know you're supposed to contact Tetorō on scheduling things, right?"

Henrietta shrugged irritably. "They can do it now. I've already told everyone else. I'm busy with other things."

The four friends looked at each other, then grins split their faces. The older set were sometimes very hilarious.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō was woken from his nap by the cold swirl of air coming in from the front door. It had been a pleasant dream until then. As four people went by in a noisy huddle, words were thrown at him. "Crescent Moon wants the Board meeting tomorrow. Afternoon, if Shiroe-kei can get the time off to go."

Right. Tetorō pulled out his clipboard to notate. Before the pen was off the paper, the door opened and cold swirled again. "Tetorō, Henrietta stopped me and asked if the Board meeting could be tomorrow afternoon."

Tetorō opened his mouth to say he'd already heard, when another voice said, "Raynessia says the tailors arrive tomorrow. They'd rather be seen then, but she thinks she can hold them off a day or two if necessary." He hurried to make the new notation as the office door clicked closed.

The front door opened again, and he waited for it. The couch creaked as Michael sat on the back of the couch to look down at him. "Word is that there are enough Overwritten on the street today that Soujirou expects a major boss as early as tomorrow." There it was. Tetorō added it to the schedule, too.

He let the clipboard drop to his chest and looked up at his partner. "Just kill me now. Or stick me in that prison of yours. Tell them I'm not scheduled to come out until the day after tomorrow...or maybe even a few days after that." Michael raised an eyebrow. "Hell arrives tomorrow." Tetorō closed his eyes. "Maybe the World AI could be convinced to postpone the boss."

"That's the easiest one?" Michael asked in mock disbelief.

Tetorō laughed. "Almost." Michael reached down and patted him on the head. Tetorō waved the hand off and shooed him out of the room then decided to fall asleep again. May as well enjoy the few remaining minutes of his vacation.

He was almost asleep again when once more the wind swirled around the room. He ignored it he was so sleepy now. "Hello! Anybody home?" He sat bolt upright, barely grabbing the clipboard and the pen leaped and bounced on his hand until it finally escaped to roll under the couch. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, that's okay...," Tetorō trailed off, then sighed. "Do you think ...you could come back ...tomorrow?"

Brows furrowed. "I suppose, but, why?"

Tetorō waved a hand. "Never mind. It would be better the next day, or next week, but you're here now. Why?"

"I heard there's a party tonight, so thought I'd show up and crash it."

Tetorō landed on his back, back on the couch again, slinging his arm over his forehead and putting the pen and clipboard away, not bothering to find the pen first. He groaned. "Fine. It'll be on the roof. Just leave me alone until I wake up enough to deal with you, Isaac."

"Thanks," Isaac said and wandered around the main floor until Tetorō growled at him again.

"At least go get the grill started and get out of my hair so I can sleep."

"Right." Isaac wandered off to the roof and Tetorō tried to get back to sleep until he realized it might just be impossible, now. Still, he stubbornly stayed on the couch until the food was headed up to the roof. Then he joined Shiroe and Akatsuki for ten minutes before finally giving up and going up to the roof himself.

-:-:-:-:-

The fires were lit in the barbecue again. Curry was cooking on one end, rice in the middle, and skewers of roast EmBoar on the other. The younger set of Log Horizon had decided to cook both favorite end-of-battle dishes this night. They'd invited Woodstock, Akaneya, Rieze, and Soujirou to attend as well. Isaac had gotten wind of it and decided to crash it. He'd been wandering the roof, but sauntered up as the smells from the grill began to mix and lift in the air to waft with the breeze.

He claimed a chair and refused to move, and made a general nuisance of himself, though really he was rather reserved for him, as if he didn't want to get thrown out for bad behavior. The five friends all looked at each other and smiled knowing smiles. When Tetorō appeared and found him present, the seat behind Isaac was suddenly filled with another parked body, and the air began to be filled with insults slung between the two of them.

Minori finally walked up between the two and brandished her ladle. "I'll have the both of you kindly stop, or you'll both kindly take your dinner meal in the market." She turned to Isaac. "If you've decided to be adopted by Hahaue, then you must choose and settle. And since you don't understand, I will choose for you. You are now cousin to Tetorō, and Hahaue is your aunt. Please be welcome to act accordingly." Isaac, flinching away from the hot ladle moving within inches of his face, nodded agreement and both men apologized. They only relaxed when she returned to her position over the large pot filled with curry.

"Is that really how it works?" Isaac asked Tetorō, looking both surprised and confused.

Tetorō's forehead twitched slightly. He forced his jaw to unclench, and answered, "Yes. Please see you understand it as soon as possible, or please leave."

"Am I disliked so much?" Isaac scratched his head.

Tetorō folded his arms and looked away. " _Tch_. Isn't it because you walked in here as if you were the son, come late and expecting open arms?"

Isaac stared at Tetorō. "You? You're the...son? Of which one?" Tetorō growled and raised a fist, partially standing. Isaac glanced at Minori and put on an innocent expression, raising a hand. "Fine, fine. I get it. I'm only around on rare occasions anyway. Nephew will be fine, though why I have to be cousin to _you_ , I'm sure I don't know. I just want to talk to her and you all keep her locked in your ivory tower so that it's nearly impossible."

Tetorō glared at Isaac. "See that when you do talk to her, you allow her to be herself, and that you --"

Isaac glared back mildly. "And I need lecturing? She isn't so weak as all that."

Tetorō stopped with his mouth open, then dropped back into his chair and put his chin on his arm, turning suddenly morose. Eventually, he turned his head to lay it on the arm. "Fine. You don't understand. Listen and observe more than you speak tonight. Perhaps you'll see well enough." He glared back up at Isaac. "But she isn't weak, not one little bit of weak." He put his head down again and muttered, "Just terrified," but he didn't say it so Isaac could hear it.

"Well, I know that much," Isaac said. "I just said it, didn't I?" Tetorō nodded but didn't raise his head.

Isaac sat with him for a bit, then reached out and rubbed his knuckles into Tetorō's head. "But don't go looking like that when they get here. It's your smile they need to see, isn't it?"

Tetorō waved the hand off his head. "I know it," he said with a scowl. He sighed. "I know it."

"It's hard, eh," Isaac sympathized and leaned over the back of his chair, as they'd been battling back to back before Minori had arrived. "She's a demon at the negotiation table. Nearly worse, if not as bad as, the Machiavelli-in-Glasses, and she isn't afraid to tease me mercilessly. Only a few have the courage for that. To make her be able to relax ...you also must be very strong, yes?"

Tetorō blinked at him. "You have no idea," he agreed.

Isaac put his chin in his hand. "So...why are you still standing?"

Tetorō smiled. "I've got everyone supporting me, and surprisingly a very good operator."

Isaac nodded approval. "Good, good. If it ever gets off balance, or can't stay that way, be sure to let me know, you hear." He gave his best 'I expect obedience' scowl.

Tetorō looked up at him mildly. "Normally you wouldn't go to the trouble. Why?"

Isaac flushed. "You have a problem with me trying to be nice?"

It made Tetorō chuckle. "No, of course not. But you're trying too hard for a thing she's already given you. It's okay to relax and be yourself." He put his head back down on his arm. "And thanks."

Isaac nodded and looked away, back towards Minori and the other young chefs. "So...when are they supposed to arrive?"

Tetorō shrugged. "I'm not on watch today. It's my first day off since she got here, though yesterday it was a decreased workload."

"Hoooh? That is stressful."

Tetorō shrugged again. "It's worth it, in the end. And she can still come visit --," he broke it off there and wouldn't say more. When Isaac pressed him too far, he just growled, "Shut up and let me relax, or are we going to kick you out after all?"

Isaac let it drop and sat more quietly after that. He'd been told he could stay, which was what he wanted.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy and Nyanta walked up to the roof of the guild hall, where everyone had gathered. The guild filled the open spaces now, it often seemed. It was rather a grand entrance, actually, since everyone stared at Purrcy, and then tried hard to not stare because of her obvious embarrassment and Nyanta's equally obvious dark aura.

"Oh, dear," Isuzu said quietly from her place at the grill, which had been doubled in size two months ago to accommodate the larger guild size, though it wasn't as large as the one in the space between the two sister guild houses. Everyone looked at Tetorō. By the sad look on his face, he'd expected it, that Purrcy would work though her resting time.

They all sighed and returned to their labors and conversations. Shiroe's responsibility was welcoming them back, which he did politely and politically didn't ask what they'd done. He then welcomed everyone to officially start the meal and people dug in.

"Purrcy," Akaneya said, "I've always been curious how you come by the items you sell. Will you tell us some of your stories tonight?"

"I'd like to hear them as well," Woodstock agreed.

Purrcy's ears turned until she had unspoken permission to tell from Shiroe and Nyanta, and for extra security, she checked with Tetorō, too. The three of them approved the final check to her restraints being loosened enough to talk. "I ...when I take care of the creatures of Yamato, I ask for treasures in return, and I also collect their trash they no longer want. Sometimes, ...they think I'm rather strange."

Akaneya and Woodstock both nodded. "You do certainly arrive with strange things."

Purrcy was thinking carefully. "There was a young green dragon that got a toe ...well not quite broken, it was more twisted. I fixed that with the pliers, since their bones are rather like iron. He had to heat up his foot with his own firebreath and when it was hot enough, I darted in, grabbed it with the pliers, and turned it. We continued that cycle until the toe was straightened out again.

"Being young he couldn't give me any of his treasures. I said I would be fine with cleaning up his cave for him, then proceeded to take his fallen scales, dung, fairy dust from the five fairies he'd eaten that had cursed his toe, and a few other things he was satisfied with having cleaned out of his cave.

"Then I made sure I left before he decided to eat me, too. He was going through a growth phase." She put her chopsticks to the side of her mouth. "Rather nicely, that made harvesting fallen scales even more lucrative than normal that trip." She finished remembering that scene and returned to eating.

"It was interesting to watch Purrcy at work this afternoon," Nyanta said calmly, though a chill ran through the main guild members at the blanket statement of what she _wasn't_ supposed to have done. "The tsuchinoko treated her rather like a goddess, and surprisingly live as a mass, moving underground in the winter. She was making sure they were ready for their winter hibernation, it looked like. I'm not sure where they got the gift offerings they gave her, and I think I'd rather not know." An ear and both sets of whiskers turned back in distaste. "I'm very glad she's fastidious in cleanliness when she's working on her patients, and afterwards."

He looked up at Shiroe, who bore the look with outward calm. "We visited four creatures she healed and prepared for winter, then one that she bargained with." He turned to Purrcy. "What was it you wanted from the miage-nyūdō?"

Touya sat upright. "Isn't that the yokai that grows when you try to look at it?"

Purrcy nodded. "Yes. It's the closest creature I could think of that might have the right kind of ingredient to add to growth milk. Because they are creatures of the woodlands, I finally managed to bargain most of what I'd been given by the tsuchinoko for the nail clippings and hair trim-- Well, let's just say parts of it that it was willing to let go of." Touya and the other children had gone rather green at her open description. "Ah, I promise, we'll just pull the essence of growth out of them, not leave the icky parts in," she tried to reassure them. They didn't look particularly convinced.

"Growth milk?" Isaac asked from his position as quiet observer.

"It's her next idea to add to the pipeline," Shiroe said quietly. "Her way of taking care of the youngest of us." Purrcy nodded.

"Ah," Nyanta interjected, "speaking of younglings, my gryphon, PurroudWing, is a purroud new father. WhiteCloud has hatched two new gryphonlets three days ago. Purrcy kindly made sure they and the mother were fine and healthy, then confirmed that PurroudWing was also for me." He was almost emitting sparks from his fur, though his voice was light and pleasant. It was a confusing and scary combination. Purrcy shrank in on herself just slightly, reacting to the static electricity.

"Congratulations, Nyanta," Shiroe said calmly.

"Yes, it means that we'll have to find an alternate means of transportation for the next seven months." Nyanta's words made even Shiroe deflate. "WhiteCloud's Summoner has allowed her time to care for the hatchlings, but for the next few months it would likely be dangerous for PurroudWing to leave them alone and there is no food nearby for the mother and children, so PurroudWing will be very busy." He looked calmly back at Shiroe, "Though he reassures me that he would still come anytime I needed to call him." Shiroe nodded. He'd heard what Nyanta intended to say.

Nyanta turned to Tetorō next. Tetorō braced himself. "Did mew know that she can light up all five and still have it look like it's nighttime? It was rather incredibly beautiful, purrticularly the occasional flashes of fire that went through them - yellows and oranges...and the rare red-oranges. Her HP only fluctuates lightly the entire time, as if watching the calm ocean waves approach and then recede from the shore. It was rather soothing, really." The cold bite to his words wasn't. Purrcy swallowed.

Tetorō took in the information, then drew a quiet breath. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked.

"Oh, no," Nyanta said lightly again and every spine straightened at the rising killing intent, "I think I'll be seeing to it this time." The shudder that went through Purrcy was visible from the back row.

"You know you were supposed to rest this afternoon, Purrcy." Michael's deeper voice sounded out. He was sitting with his arms folded, leaning back in his chair, and a cool look on his face. "See you learn your lesson properly this time."

Purrcy bowed. "Yes. I'm sorry everyone." Watching her new breasts bob on her body with the bow was different enough to make everyone stare, then carefully not-stare again. No one wanted Nyanta's sharp eyes on them at this particular time of the evening.

When the conversations shifted again and Nyanta had calmed back down to some degree, he rose from his seat and walked over to the grill to claim another meat skewer. Compliance and a few other Eagles were gathered near there, also claiming some of the left-over skewers. Compliance stopped Nyanta with a raised hand. "Ah, how did you manage that?" he asked flicking a glance at Purrcy.

Nyanta blinked at him and without changing expression said, "When one has a transformation mage as a wife, it isn't too difficult, really. Are mew enjoying it?" Compliance almost died when he opened his mouth, but the guard behind him hit him in the back of the knee, off balancing him enough his mouth closed and he had the time to rethink his answer. He went with silence in the face of Nyanta's eyes.

There was a tiny twitch to Nyanta's nose whiskers on one side, then he turned and walked back to Purrcy. He took his seat, then took her hand and lifted her over to sit in his lap. While he calmly ate from his skewer in his left hand, he wrapped his right arm around her middle and put his hand over her third left breast, which fit his hand perfectly.

Purrcy sat stiffly on his lap, silently enduring his hidden torture as he fondled with his elbow and hand each of the hidden three pairs consecutively. Compliance was unable to tear his eyes away and was quite sweating by the time his compatriots took pity on him and dragged him off. The rest of those who caught on to what was going on had to work very hard to not fall into the same pit.

When Nyanta was satisfied his point had been made, he kissed Purrcy on the back of the neck. "I think we will go and make sure mew get purroper rest tonight." He helped her up and stood. Leading her to Shiroe they both bowed. "Good night," Nyanta said and Purrcy echoed him. He looked at the children. "Thank mew for dinner. It was very delicious." Purrcy echoed him humbly.

As the door closed behind them, the entire group - save the few that had no idea - relaxed in a slump and finally let themselves tremble. Michael stood up, went to Tetorō, and helped him stand. He picked up Tetorō's chair and carried it over to set it next to Naotsugu, then set Tetorō in it.

His own chair appeared next to Tetorō's. He sat down very close to Tetorō, sprawled his legs out in front of him, and put an arm over the back of Tetorō's chair. As Michael's hand gripped Naotsugu's shoulder, he said, "Remind me to never get on Nyanta's bad side. ...Or rather don't. If I ever forget just how terrible he is when angry, hit me in the head with a two-by-four. I'll thank you for it."

Tetorō nodded from his position curled up in a ball sideways on his chair, his knees to his chest. He leaned his back against Michael, kept one arm wrapped around his knees, and tangled up the fingers of his other hand in Naotsugu's shirt sleeve, holding on tightly as he shivered lightly every now and then.

"You're not watching are you?" Michael asked quietly in warning. Tetorō closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. Michael patted him on the head. "Good boy. Let it be until tomorrow." Tetorō nodded miserably. He really, really didn't want tomorrow to come now.


	31. Trial: Round Table vs. Nyanta

Shiroe drew a careful, long breath and looked around at the guests. He knew what his own would do next. The guests would be the ones to assuage first. Isaac was the first one to get a fire lit in his belly, his face slowly turning red and his scowl going very dark.

Shiroe braced internally and held up his hand. He waited for Isaac to decide he'd hold the explosion long enough to hear Shiroe out. "Isaac, you aren't the only one here who doesn't know what's going on behind the scenes. Rieze and Souji have heard it now. I think Akaneya and Woodstock have grasped a simple level of it by now, but haven't heard it directly yet. Who will you hear explain it to you?"

Isaac's head whipped around to Soujirou. "You would normally be in arms already at that. Are you sitting on your butt because you know?"

Soujirou took a careful, calming breath. "It is my first time to witness it, so it is very difficult to keep my seat and my hand from my sword, but yes, that is why."

Rieze's hand was also curling as if to grasp her weapon, but her eyes were on Tetorō. "It wasn't sufficient," she said.

"What? That level of punishment was beyond abuse!" Isaac said angrily at her.

Rieze shook her head. "Not that." Isaac followed her look to see Tetorō, still rocking slightly with his eyes closed, seemingly lost in his head, and being supported by not one but two full tanks. "Tetorō's already tried rather drastic means to get her to slow down and behave."

Isaac calmed slightly at that, then shook his head angrily and looked at Shiroe again. "Explain why Log Horizon doesn't need to be burned to the ground then, Mister-Protects-All-Adventurers-Other-Than-Purrcy." That got the hackles up on a lot of Log Horizon, exactly what Shiroe wanted to contain.

He held his hand up again and gave significant looks around at his own and they calmed slightly, just going back to battle-wary instead of battle-ready. He looked at Michael. "Put up the shield and add in the code from the secure room." He paused, then added, "I've given you copy permissions on it." Michael nodded and spent eight seconds getting it up, then gave him the sign. Shiroe set the permissions on the secure room code that he wanted, then leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.

When Michael nodded again to indicate he'd set any histories necessary, Shiroe looked at Isaac and told him the basic story of where they really were that he'd allowed Stiletto to tell others as first level secure information, keeping open and frank in the telling. Then he added in what had happened since Li Gan had come to visit - that apparently the People of the Land knew about the Priestess, that it was a real office, and that the World AI had come itself the next morning and talked to them through Purrcy. That visit had confirmed his suspicions that there was a 'higher force' acting on the world through her.

When Shiroe was done, Isaac shook his head. "Okay, I get that you see it as punishing the World AI, or whatever it was that brought us here, but that was beyond reasonable. Nyanta was sexually abusing Purrcy in public. That's not right at all, and is a clear breach of the laws you helped establish, Shiroe. And I talked to Tetorō before this whole thing began. For him to be like this now, it was severe even for him, when all he's done is try his best."

Rieze cleared her throat. "I would have to agree with Isaac on the first point...," she shifted, then added, "but Isaac...I learned about the collar by accident the day after it happened. He's regretted putting it on her since the beginning but couldn't think of anything else that might have an effect. To have it be worked around and still have her being used that way must be excruciating. ...I would have to say that I can relate to Nyanta-san's anger, if not his methods."

Compliance cleared his throat, still pale himself. "That would be my fault, actually, I'm afraid. I - I'm terribly sorry." Dark eyes went his way, particularly Isaac and Soujirou's. "I stepped all over his jealousy button, and he was putting me in my place. Since I'd stepped on it in public, I guess he felt he needed to answer it publicly."

There were confused looks on some faces. Shiroe was in agreement with those. "What did you do ...and why do you say it was sexual abuse, Isaac?"

Compliance wasn't the only one to blush and the looks they gave the females in the group said they didn't want to say at all. "It's probably better to let those who don't understand continue to not understand," Naotsugu said with finality. "I'll tell you later when it's just us."

Shiroe looked over at him and Michael caught his eye. Michael was shaking his head. "No, that's Compliance's job to explain, but I agree with it being not explained here and now. Later is better." Compliance bowed his head, accepting the duty.

Shiroe pursed his lips, then nodded. "I think you'll explain with Isaac and Souji in attendance as well, then."

Tetorō turned his head slowly to face the group. The look on his face was the pleasant mask he wore to hide behind, though he didn't stop rocking. "Nyanta told her that he'd be the one to take care of it next. He's only keeping his promise. The World AI has been the one to push his buttons this far. He's been very patient, really. It's taken this much for him to very specifically teach the World AI want _he_ wants, after all. I think it will ease some of the stress he's under to have done it."

"What do you mean?" Akaneya asked gently.

Tetorō shook his head and looked at Naotsugu. Getting his courage up a little more, he said, more to Naotsugu than anyone else, "It's the internet he's fighting, remember?"

Naotsugu considered that, then nodded and tried to explain it without giving it away. Michael picked it up. "The World AI is still a child that's been using the _Elder Tales_ template, but filling in the holes with the internet. All of us, but mostly Nyanta-san, have been trying to sort the cruft out of its knowledge base and get it to a level of reality we Adventurers can live with. You all know how much trash and lies are on the internet. It's just taken it whole-hog as gospel truth."

Tetorō nodded. "He's been trying to teach that lesson since they were married - what it is to _be_ married. It's probably the weakest topic from the internet to begin with."

"Harsh," Rieze said, looking like she wasn't even aware she'd said it. Even Soujirou seemed to settle a little at that piece of knowledge.

"But," Woodstock's brow was furrowed, "the People of the Land are married."

Shiroe shook his head. "It keeps applying it's Earth database to the Adventurers specifically. The People of the Land are from _Elder Tales_ it's true, but they are also actual residents - creations - of Theldesia that have evolved their own ways. And in _Elder Tales_ , they had normal relationships, though perhaps slightly on the violent side when it comes to thieves and wars and such things. Those have carried through. We are the unknown."

He shifted, "I also think it's testing it all out, trying to find out which parts of our knowledge base it wants to include in itself. It's possible Nyanta had it be public in order to show the World AI what _really_  happens when such things are made public. I don't know if it has the capacity to understand to that level of finesse. I know it doesn't care what Purrcy's reaction is, but perhaps it cares what the group reaction is. If they've tried for this long just the two of them, maybe he was hoping this level would finally teach it." He shrugged. He was reaching for things he couldn't know now, unless he cornered Nyanta about it.

"It still isn't right," Isaac said, sitting back and folding his arms with a scowl. " _She_  was still in there, still knew."

Michael sighed. "No, you're right, but she didn't help herself there. She's got a level of control as well and didn't have to ignore him the whole time. Laying the whole burden on his shoulders isn't right either." He shifted. "Knowing them, they're apologizing and making it up to each other as best they can without erasing the lesson to the World AI."

Tetorō threw him a glance as if he wasn't quite so sure about that. Michael carried it, though, as if it was truth and the rest let him. It would keep the guests calmed. "Their understanding goes pretty deep." Michael looked down at Tetorō, putting a foot up on the opposing knee. "She's got guts, and she's got solid bedrock in her, even if she is clingy. If she hated it, he'll pay for it in her time." He tipped his head at Shiroe. "Do you think he's learned that yet?" Shiroe shrugged. He didn't know.

"If he didn't, I hope he'll learn from this time." Soujirou's voice was dead flat. "I've seen him like that before and not flinch, and the earth never open and swallow him up. He deserves to have it happen at least once - especially for this one." Naotsugu and Shiroe kept their mouths shut. There were things from the Debauchery Tea Party days that stayed there. Just like Indicus had hated Shiroe, and Soujirou had been teased mercilessly for being a harem core, Nyanta had set his own image.

As a cat-man of distinction, he'd drawn many a female player after him. He had never been kind in how he related to them when he had to throw them off his scent, until Serera - and they figured that was because she was a child. Now that they knew he'd been a married man to begin with it made sense, but still, he'd always been harsh.

It had always been a cause of friction between him and Soujirou, and had really been at the core of why Soujirou hadn't understood why he'd been included as a member of the groomsmen. His initial reaction had been to question everyone's sanity at it all. Getting the final clues seemed to have calmed him somewhat, but that didn't mean he would ever approve of Nyanta's sadistic streak when it came to women.

"You haven't seen him lately," Naotsugu said dryly after a bit. "He's been holding back rather magnificently until tonight, actually."

"Oh?" Soujirou asked with a cynical bite, "And has he finally found a woman he might not be able to do without?"

"Actually, yes," Shiroe said calmly. Soujirou stared at him as if he'd grown three horns. "He was married on Earth, so was getting the players to back off in a way they wouldn't come back to interfere with that. He wanted the reputation to get around so they wouldn't keep trying."

He clasped his hands around one knee and leaned back slightly, and for the first time said it himself out loud to everyone, but kept his eyes locked on Soujirou. "He's not going home this time. To his family he's already dead and he's drowning in grief. Purrcy is his one anchor in that storm. Even if he has to act that way to teach the World AI, he's not going to jeopardize his relationship with Purrcy. Every time she has to leave him, he dies again, can't face living again." He let that sink in.

"That's why he disappeared after the Maze of Eternity," Rieze said quietly. Shiroe and most of the guild nodded.

"But, why?" asked Soujirou. "There's a million things he could have done to find strength. Why would he find it in the last thing he ever looked for it in - a woman?"

"I said it," Michael answered. He had an interesting look on his face. Almost a twist of grief and cynicism. "She's a rock. How many people do you know could go through what she went through and come out of it still fighting? Any drowning man would cling to a rock that solid."

Tetorō nodded. "She's strong. She was uncomfortable tonight, sorry she hadn't been obedient and rested or paid attention to Nyanta, but underneath all that...she knew what was going on. I've sat with her before, inside, when she needs to let it all go and complain. That's my job.

"But when she's let it all out, she gets back up and goes back into the fight without any more complaints. I've never...," he bit his lip and shook his head. "I lose it before she does." He looked away again. "Like tonight." Michael's hand came down on Tetorō's head, then wrapped around him to hold him. Tetorō closed his eyes and leaned on Michael's shoulder.

Michael nodded. "I've seen it, too. Watched her walk back into pain, into horrible circumstances, without flinching. I was her Oracle briefly, in Minami. She could have left me and not walked back down into the Special's section to go back into KR's body just before that last fight on screen. She did it anyway, and I called her a fool for doing it. She lies down and cries and sleeps, but when her eyes open back up, they're hard and full of fire again. If they're not, we tease her mercilessly until they are. She wouldn't be able to live with herself otherwise." The Eagles were nodding, standing strong in their support of her.

Soujirou looked around at the entire Log Horizon guild, trying to understand. He finally gave up. He'd keep watching, his mistrust of Nyanta not fully assuaged, but he wouldn't hold the grudge. Shiroe relaxed slightly.

Rieze was looking at Tetorō again and this time it looked like she understood whatever she'd been trying to understand before. Her glance at Soujirou said she was also reserving judgment on Nyanta, but would follow Soujirou's lead. Shiroe checkmarked one more.

He looked at Isaac. Isaac was sitting back in his chair, his arms folded still, still making his observations and calculations. Shiroe put that one on hold for now and looked at Akaneya.

Akaneya hesitated, then said, "I liked the Purrcy who came to sell me the strange things she would find. The Purrcy that came here and could talk with us was very different and that was hard to take. ...You're saying the one you're fighting for is the first one?" Shiroe nodded.

Akaneya sighed and sat back, then ran his hand over his head. "Her smile...and the way she would laugh...her excitement at creating new things...those things I also want to protect, and return to Akiba." He folded his arms. Shiroe looked at Woodstock. Woodstock sat up straight, folded his arms, and nodded. Shiroe relaxed marginally one more breath and looked at Isaac again.

"I want to see her when she's Hahaue," Isaac declared, setting his requirement. "And I want to hear from her own lips that Nyanta doesn't deserve the penalty of the law. There were too many here to witness to it's breaking. It can't slide."

Michael's finger rose. Shiroe looked at him. He looked back, his gaze unwavering. Shiroe sighed and nodded. It was always iffy to let the Americans make the decisions. But Michael's gaze swung around to the juniors. "Touya, what's the right answer?" Shiroe was surprised and turned to look at the juniors.

They were struggling with the topic still, each in their own way, but when presented with coming up with the solution to a problem, they all settled quickly to internal discussion on how to face it head on, as they always did. Shiroe was grateful for the assist. They'd both get settled by this and come up with the right answer. They were good at that.

The answer surfaced and they turned back. "Mister Isaac, please stay the night with us tonight. Hahaue is only ours in the early morning. You should meet her then." Touya invited the guildmaster.

Minori looked at Michael. "Mister Michael, will you please let him stay in your room tonight?" It was her right as Seneschal to ask it.

Michael nodded. "Be glad to. Do you have an extra futon? If not he'll have to be up in a hammock."

Minori turned to Isaac. "Mister Isaac, do you have a preference? Or would you like to learn how to fetch your own from home?"

Shiroe blinked. "I've already taught that to them," he said. "We covered that before the campaign in Minami."

"Oh, sorry," Minori blushed.

"No, I'm sorry I forgot to mention it. A lot was happening at the time." Shiroe was contrite.

Isaac waved a hand. "The reminder is appreciated. And yes, I'll stay the night, if that's what is needed to meet Hahaue. ...Thank you." The latter being tacked on was surprising. "Ah, you didn't hear it, Shiroe. Minori told me I had to be cousin to Tetorō, nephew to Purrcy in order to stay. I'll hold to it as best I can." He glanced at Michael, "You might have to remind me in the morning, though. And...what are you, if it matters? I'm still trying to figure out why it does."

Michael grimaced. "You'll understand eventually, as long as you remember that Nyanta is Consort and don't get in his way." Compliance shivered. "I'm her older brother."

Soujirou sat up straight and blinked at everyone. "Is that how you manage to stay a sane reverse-harem?" They all glared at him, but Tetorō came up for air again and looked at him with a smile and a nod.

Shiroe put his hand to his forehead and sighed, but Soujirou didn't let it lie there. He turned an impish look on Shiroe. "Really, then what does that make you?" Shiroe had always been one to tease Soujirou for his harem, or at least voice disapproval on occasion.

Shiroe sat up, pushed up his glasses and said solemnly, "The King." To stem the laughter threatening, he concluded, "And Souji, that means she answers to me, not the other way around. Akatsuki is my Consort."

Soujirou swallowed his laughter and looked at Akatsuki, sitting upright on her knees next to Shiroe as habitual. Akatsuki nodded once, solemnly. "So that's how," he said softly. He was thoughtful, then shrugged. "Not sure it's applicable in my case, but I'll think about it." Shiroe wasn't quite sure what he was getting it, but let it drop as well. It was a distressing and uncomfortable topic.

They adjourned shortly thereafter, taking the secure field down after explaining the importance of not talking about what had been said under the umbrella to their guests. Cleanup started and Shiroe motioned to Compliance, Soujirou, and Isaac that they should go with him to his office. Michael and Tetorō followed them.

Naotsugu stayed with the younger set to help them and a handful of Eagles with the cleanup. Rieze, Woodstock, and Akaneya followed Shiroe's group down, but at the bottom of the stairs only said their farewells. They gave looks to Isaac, requiring he let them know his answer after the next morning. He nodded casually to them.

When the smaller grouping entered Shiroe's office he set the permissions on it the way he wanted. Michael and Tetorō made Akatsuki sit outside the door for the conversation, not letting her in. Soujirou spoke first. "I've already met Hahaue, so don't need to do that again, but I think I need to hear her answer myself, not second hand from Isaac. Shiroe-sempai, I want you to set it up as a video conference for me, so I can see her myself as well and know she's really okay. I'm up early for sword practice, so just call me when she's available and still Hahaue."

Shiroe nodded. "I can do that." He looked at Compliance, who was the only one still standing, and at attention at that. This was his disciplinary hearing.

Compliance explained what had happened three nights before, expressly the all-in-fun conversation and Nyanta's rather serious answers to it, and more openly explained why the problems with the internet were involved, though Shiroe had already figured that much out. It was irksome that the plague of pornography on the internet had followed them here to Theldesia and become a major interference. It made him think of the Plague Master and the plague of life.

Shiroe shook his head at himself, and glanced at Soujirou. He was dark again, and pensive. "There's rather a lot of things to come out of that," Shiroe said. "Souji, does it sound familiar to you, too?"

Soujirou's lips set. "All too much." Each word was said distinctively and clipped.

Shiroe nodded and put his finger to his chin, resting it on the curled ones. He'd think hard about that particular thing later that night. "And you weren't pleased."

Again clipped. "Not at all."

"I'm not either," Shiroe said clearly, "and I completely understand why Nyanta has been refraining." Tetorō nodded heartily.

Soujirou's eyes looked at both of them. "What do you mean?"

"He hasn't actually had sex with her yet."

Soujirou froze. "Well, I would kind of expect that, given his temperament, but they are married now officially?"

Shiroe shook his head, his lips pursed. "Given what the World AI endowed him with, he won't. Even if he was rejecting her as a woman in that way, he wouldn't do it. He won't hurt a woman physically just to hurt her. He'll torture her mentally to get her to go away - he is a psychologist. Physical harm is anathema to him, unless it's a deserving enemy."

"Then why did he do that tonight?" Isaac raged. "I still don't find the proper reasoning."

Shiroe looked at him, "State one more time, for the record, exactly what you find a problem, Isaac."

Isaac took a breath. "We've set it as a law in Akiba that sexual abuse is a capital crime, severely punishable. To behave in that way tonight - sexual conduct in public, even though covered, is still sexual abuse. She was not enjoying it, and was not a willing participant to it, though because he is her husband she couldn't say no to it either.

"If he was jealous enough to want to punish Compliance, then it should have been done either a more proper way or in private, and still not with sexual abuse of his spouse. Those kinds of acts are to be reserved for the bedroom and only appreciated between consenting partners to the levels at which they are both comfortable. With _tenderness_  not with violence. Very real mental and emotional damage is done if it is done any other way. That is why we've made it a crime."

"As a crude measure, by raise of hands, how many of you agree with Isaac?" Shiroe voted too and it was unanimous in agreement. Shiroe took a deep breath and stepped out on a limb, hoping he understood Nyanta well enough. "Then tomorrow morning we will hear Hahaue's testimony and see if she will press charges against Nyanta. If she chooses to do that, then we will hear his defense and deliberate the proper sentencing."

Isaac stopped, then looked confused and opened his mouth. Shiroe raised his hand to forestall him and shook his head, pursing his lips. Isaac stared at him, then blinked and scanned the room. Everyone else was also clamping their lips tightly closed. Isaac sighed. "That's why you guys do that. All right. I'll stay the night to hear her testimony and participate in the judicial court, if it comes to that. I want to know Purrcy is okay, because that wasn't okay."

Shiroe nodded. "You'll stay with Michael then." He looked at Michael, who nodded. Shiroe turned his attention to Compliance again. "I understand that men talk about the female body naturally, because it is beautiful and we enjoy it and we rightly should, however it also isn't wrong when Akatsuki sends Naotsugu flying through the air to slam into the wall, though I wish she would learn softer methods the same as he does. Certainly in mixed company - which Naotsugu doesn't have the tact to remember - it should be refrained from.

"I can't say your conversation that night was wrong, because it probably wasn't. However, your pricking Nyanta was. To ask a man about his wife or his rightfully private sexual life with his consenting partner is the height of rudeness because of the tender nature of the sexual act. He chose to answer you, and some might not have been offended by the question like he was, but to assume it is okay is not acceptable.

"Tomorrow you will apologize to both of them, since in offending him you offended her by exposing her as well. If she banishes you, that is her right. He has likely completed his own punishment for you with this, but if there is anything further, you will submit to it. Do you understand?"

Compliance snapped to attention. "Sir, yes Sir!"

"That is all," Shiroe nodded at him.

As Compliance went to the door, he passed Michael. Michael raised a hand off his elbow from where it was resting. Compliance gave him a four-fingered salute and agreement of understanding passed between them.

When the door was closed again, Shiroe reset the permissions on the room, then sat back with a sigh. "Did he understand, Michael?"

"Yes, Guildmaster," Michael answered formally. "He knows he's taking the fall to teach in addition to his punishment. He'll let the rest know that's what's going down, but we don't have the same code the rest of you do."

Shiroe looked at Tetorō. "I'll handle it," the smaller man said quietly.

Shiroe nodded. If the rest of the original members of the guild weren't forewarned that father and mother were going to be at odds in the morning, it would cause more chaos than it should be allowed to, though really, they'd get it. The guild already flowed smoothly when it was time for battle.

And to facilitate that..., "Souji, Isaac, we'll continue playing tomorrow morning in this vein. I'm guessing at what we're supposed to be doing based on any strategic understanding for a real battle. You've been pulled in to participate in this one with us because we need more than just our guild members. We need the World AI to understand this extends to all Adventurers.

"Go ahead and be real and be upset. If we sentence Nyanta, we'll sentence him and he'll abide it. They are the parents for the AI. If they want to teach it that way, we'll abide. But," he pinned Isaac, "remember the base. Don't go too far and make it impossible for us to redeem him, or the AI will be without a father, and the mother will grieve."

Isaac nodded soberly. "I understand." Soujirou also nodded. Isaac sighed. "You know, this isn't what I expected at all when I came to visit tonight."

Shiroe gave him a sympathetic smile and adjusted his glasses on his face again, since they had slipped down a little. "No, I imagine not. We get surprises on a regular basis when Purrcy's around. It doesn't help that she moves very quickly. I get quite a bit of mental gymnastics practice keeping ahead of her."

Soujirou tipped his head. "I thought Nyanta did it?"

Shiroe's lips thinned just a little. "She didn't have to work all afternoon, did she?" He waved them out of the room. "If we take Nyanta away to punish her as well, it won't be a bad effect. He needs the vacation." There was a snort of laughter but it wasn't clear who it was from.

Tetorō stayed behind, his hand closing the door behind the last person to exit. "Shiroe. Tomorrow is hell day. I received more than your request. This is just another one of the things. We will be hard pressed to even get in our meeting, but it will be critical. I'll need to know which things to postpone...and if the Overwritten boss arrives everything else will drop."

Shiroe's head came up in utter surprise. "Boss?"

Tetorō nodded. "The minor Overwritten in town are on the rise again. Tomorrow at the earliest for the boss, is the estimate."

Shiroe put his hand to his head and nodded. "Thank you, Tetorō."

Tetorō nodded. He turned back to the door, then paused. "I really hope, Shiroe, that this isn't the curse of asking the Oracle a Forbidden question." He gave a significant look, then turned and took himself out.

-:-:-:-:-

Once everyone was gone and Akatsuki was pouring the tea, Shiroe turned his mind to deciding what punishments would be suitable. By the time Akatsuki was curled up next to him, he'd settled on two or three, depending on which way the battle went. Akatsuki didn't ask him what had been discussed, but he could tell she wanted to.

Rather than put his arm around her, he reached for his tea. After drinking for a while, he said, "A relationship between a husband and wife is a special thing, don't you think? ...Something to treasure and treat with respect."

Akatsuki froze, really not sure where he was going - personal to the two of them or general because of the evening's events. Finally she nodded. Either way, she wanted it to be true. Shiroe took another sip of tea. "There are others that need to be taught that tomorrow. It won't be easy, but it is necessary. ...You'll see to the mother, please?"

She paused with her cup halfway to her lips, then said, "Yes, Shiroe," and finished her motion. She set her cup on her saucer with a little click and moved to hold them in her lap.

When he was done drinking his tea, he handed her the cup and saucer. She put his and hers away, then came back to stand uncertainly in front of him. He changed the permissions on the room again and held out his hand to her. "Thank you for your patience. I've decided to teach the AI in my own way as well. It will no longer be a participant in our private relationship."

Akatsuki visibly relaxed and took his hand. He pulled her to sit in his lap and stroked her hair, petting her like he would pet Purrcy. "It really doesn't offend you?" he asked for probably the twentieth time.

And for probably the twentieth time, Akatsuki shook her head. "Not when it's Shiroe."

Shiroe paused in his petting, then gave her a kiss. "Thank you." She reached up a hand and traced her fingers on his forehead, then snuggled into his chest.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her closely. He couldn't help saying, "Poor Nyanta." She raised an eyebrow. "He's still restraining himself, and we know why now." Akatsuki's eyes opened wide and she took in a breath of surprise. Because it was so embarrassing, Shiroe could only say, "It's very painful, for cats."

Akatsuki's look was one of sympathy. When she leaned on his chest again, she patted it consolingly, then did her best to purr as Shiroe began petting her again. His mind was soon lost to the maze of his thoughts, but the warmth in his arms was comforting and kept him company.

-:-:-:-:-

The following morning, when Tetorō arrived in the kitchen, the atmosphere was rather somber and tentative. Nyanta's tail was wrapped around Purrcy's leg closest to him and they were both standing at the stove, cooking. Minori and Touya were quietly working on their part of the meal and glanced up to see him, but went back to work. "Purrcy, Shiroe would like to speak with you," Tetorō said quietly.

Purrcy nodded and looked at Nyanta. He glanced at her pan, then said, "Turn off the heat. I'll finish it." Purrcy obeyed and his tail slipped off her leg. She followed Tetorō out of the kitchen and to Shiroe's office.

The number of people waiting for her in the office was rather disconcerting, and the fact that none of them missed the fact she was still sporting breasts was uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and fought to remember she'd been a woman for a very long time. She was very glad that Tetorō stayed by her side or she might have run.

He gently took her hand and led her to stand closer to the sitting area of the office. He allowed her to stop at the distance she could handle.

"Purrcy, how are you this morning?" Shiroe asked.

An ear twitched. "Fine?" Her eyes scanned the gathered ensemble again, then returned to look at her guildmaster. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"We'd like to talk to you about last night. Will you please answer our questions honestly?" A shiver went down her spine. She nodded mutely and her hold on Tetorō's hand tightened unconsciously. He tightened his hold to reassure her - or keep her from running, she wasn't sure which. She needed both.

"When we came to Theldesia, we were given the physical bodies that had been our avatars. For some people that was fine, for some a blessing, and for some, a prison. We know you're a transformation mage, however before now you haven't chosen human breasts. Was it your choice to have them now?" Shiroe asked her.

Purrcy took a careful breath. "Nyanta asked for them."

"Is that acceptable to you?"

"If my husband wishes to see his wife this way, shouldn't I be happy to provide?"

There was a pause. "But are you happy?" She didn't answer.

Isaac shifted. "Purrcy, there are women Adventurers who enjoy displaying to the world their womanhood, who take delight in being noticed. To have sat yesterday and received the attention of their husband would have pleased that kind and likely they would have flirted and played with him. In your case, you sat stiffly and unhappy. I think you are not of that sort of woman."

"Was it not his right, given I'd not properly paid attention to him during our vacation time together? My enjoyment or lack thereof seemed irrelevant given that it was a punishment. Indeed, had I appeared to have enjoyed it, likely the punishment would have been worse." There were unhappy blinks to that answer and frowns appeared on her questioner's faces.

"Purrcy," Isaac continued, "for those of us who noticed, and also understand feline anatomy, it was an extremely uncomfortable situation. From our vantage point of how cold he seemed and how unhappy you seemed, it could be considered an act of sexual abuse. Can you please assure us it wasn't?"

She paused, then said, "He is my husband. Is that possible?"

A flicker of irritation went across Isaac's face. "Yes, Purrcy, it is. Such activities shouldn't be displayed in public, particularly of one's spouse. But even in private, if one of the parties is unwilling or pressured into doing something they are uncomfortable with, or find painful, or brings distress, it is spousal abuse. Spousal sexual abuse is included in this definition." Purrcy remained silent.

Shiroe took it back up. "Purrcy, would you agree that your verbal scolding was an appropriate punishment for working through your rest time?"

Purrcy tried to relax enough to remember it. "Yes."

"It's understandable that Nyanta might wish to have you beautiful for him, but when he made you transform, did he request it or require it?"

Softly Purrcy answered, "Required it."

"And you are still this way this morning. Did he allow you to relax overnight?"

"No." Again she answered quietly.

"Can you honestly say you are happy with this punishment?"

Purrcy turned her head away, unable to hold her ears up. "If my husband should wish to be pleased, I would be pleased to see it done. However, to have him only angry does not make me happy.

"Under the circumstances," Soujirou said, his voice rough, "I think we need to ask you to breach the privacy of the bedroom, Purrcy. Did Nyanta hurt you at all last night?"

Purrcy started to shiver slightly with the tension to keep herself calm. "Cat claws and teeth are rather pointy and sharp," she said, "and the tongue by nature is rough. How would it not happen in any case?"

"Did he relent and forgive you last night after you retired?"

Purrcy closed her eyes and took a deep breath, lifting her head to face the people in front of her again. "He refused to touch me all night and had me sleep in a far corner of the room; however it isn't me he is angry with, other than the verbal scolding last evening."

She was met with stony faces. "We believe it to be excessive, Purrcy," Isaac said coolly. "Sexual abuse is one of the crimes that Akiba holds to be punishable, including spousal abuse. From our perspective, he has crossed that line. By rights you may accuse him of it and we will see the law is brought to bear."

Purrcy was already shaking her head. "While I don't wish for him to continue to be angry, and perhaps it was excessive - his attempt to release his frustration with his situation - but I am still his wife and will continue to be. If I should bring charges against him, won't it only interfere with any possibility we have to continue in a proper relationship? I would rather see a resolution to what it is that has angered him, and forgive him, than punish him."

"Do you know what's angered him, Purrcy?" Shiroe asked gently.

She looked at him, grateful for at least his tone of voice. "I am allowed to be here for the children in the mornings, but he is not allowed to have a wife, only a semblance of one. The Superuser has refused to relent. Rather it insists on using the opportunity for experimentation."

She sighed. "If anything, lay the blame of sexual abuse at the feet of the Superuser. I have fought ferociously some nights and only Nyanta's own refusal as well has made it impossible for the experiments to show anything other than our utter revulsion." She shuddered. "The number of variants that existed on the internet are boundless, and none of them normal and rational. Because we prefer normal and rational, the Superuser has doubted our teachings and is reaching the level of refusing them, preferring to believe the sample of perhaps millions over our sample of one."

Shiroe sat back in the couch, a touch of misery showing on his face. Isaac looked at Shiroe. When they had shared a look, Shiroe nodded. "You may go, Purrcy. We will discuss how we want to handle this. Thank you for answering our questions. I'm sorry it was difficult."

Purrcy bowed a short bow, then fled the room. Tetorō arrived to comfort her in the fourth floor closet a few minutes later, petting her until the breakfast meal was called.

-:-:-:-:-

Breakfast was reserved and slightly tense. Purrcy wasn't able to eat well, only nibbling at things and pushing them around on her plate. Nyanta finally offered her his hand to hold in order to help her calm. He twitched an ear at Shiroe, but received only silence after a brief glance. He knew she'd been called in to talk to Shiroe, and that she'd arrived at breakfast with Tetorō from above, but the rest he could only guess at.

They went around the table as usual towards the end of the meal. When they reached the end, Shiroe gave out the additional assignments, then looked at Nyanta. "I need to see you in my office next, please."

Nyanta nodded, squeezed Purrcy's hand, then rose with Shiroe and walked with him to the office. Shiroe let him in and he walked towards the central seating area. He could feel Naotsugu at his back. When he discovered Isaac had come in as well, he was a little surprised and waited to sit down. When Michael entered and then stood on the door, Nyanta's tail twitched in irritation. He took a deep breath and willed himself to fully calm down.

Shiroe wouldn't look him in the eye, and used the excuse to bring up a chat to not have to. "Conference call: Rieze, Akaneya, Woodstock, Soujirou."

"Rieze here."

"I'm present." Akaneya.

"Here." Woodstock's gravelly word was third.

"Shiroe-sempai." Soujirou's voice was firm.

"Thank you," Shiroe said as he sat on the couch. Isaac took the chair opposite from where Nyanta was standing waiting to find out what was going on. "That makes a majority of the Round Table."

Shiroe pushed up his glasses and looked at Nyanta. "Nyanta, because of your behavior towards your wife last night, charges of sexual abuse have been levied against you in her behalf. She has refused to press charges herself, however there were sufficient witnesses that it cannot go unanswered. Please explain your side of the issue. We have already heard her testimony."

The very tip of Nyanta's tail trembled but the rest of him stayed calm. He took his time formulating his answer. "What specific incident has been called into question?"

Isaac answered. "There were a sufficient number of us who understand the anatomy of felines to know that you were indecently groping Purrcy in public, and that she was extremely uncomfortable with the situation. In the case of spousal sexual abuse, it isn't possible for the spouse to refuse, even if they would prefer to.

"Given that you were also putting her under punishment for not resting during the time she had been ordered to, for her to distinguish between the two was sufficiently difficult enough she couldn't have known if it was part of the punishment she should have rightly borne or not. Given that it was a public display, it was extreme, and therefore not properly part of the initial punishment. The scolding itself was severe, accepted, and sufficient.

"The sum is then that it was a choice on your part to humiliate her in public with covert sexual abuse, an act in Akiba punishable by law." Isaac glared at Nyanta.

"Humiliation was not the intent," Nyanta answered. "For those who do not understand feline anatomy I was merely holding my wife in my lap. For those who do understand feline anatomy, how is it I was groping anything? There were only two adult human breasts, and those I did not grope, as mew crudely put it."

"Will you admit then, Nyanta-san, that you prefer to be a pedophile?" Soujirou's sarcastic and biting question made a whisker twitch.

"I will admit to no such thing," Nyanta answered stiffly.

"Nyanta," Shiroe interjected, "no one present was interested in watching, however you made it rather impossible not to. What was the purpose?"

"I held Purrcy in my lap because I had not had the opportunity to enjoy her company other than to be a bystander to watching her work all afternoon. Should her husband be the only one to not receive her attention?" The tip of an ear twitched.

"She apologized for it, and willing sat with you, yet you still felt it necessary to fondle the new form you made her have. That could certainly have waited until you were in your bedroom, to be properly enjoyed in private," Isaac argued. Nyanta kept silent.

"Surely, if you requested that she transform in that way, you found her pleasing enough to enjoy yourself in private, Nyanta-san. Did you at least explain yourself to her when you reached your room and kindly help her learn to enjoy that form as well?" Rieze asked.

"I did not," Nyanta answered. "When we are in our bedroom alone I make her stay far from me."

"Why?" a confused response came back.

"Because in our bedroom, I must defend myself from advances that are unwarranted and unreasonable. It is only possible to enjoy my wife as a husband when we are not alone." This time, he held very still, every bit of him calm.

"That was not proper public enjoyment of your wife, Nyanta-san," Isaac said quietly. "It was unacceptable behavior, regardless of your frustrations." He sat forward slightly. "Will you still deny you did what we saw with our own eyes?"

"I will." Nyanta answered calmly.

Isaac looked at Shiroe. Shiroe looked back, then nodded. "Nyanta, please stay there, we will deliberate and return to you." There was a brief moment, then he could see Shiroe move his mouth, but heard no sound. It was the same when Isaac responded to Shiroe. When they didn't speak, he assumed they were listening to the others on the conference call. Nyanta shifted and folded his arms, waiting for them to complete their discussion.

Finally, they paused, then Shiroe's head turned back to Nyanta. "The Council has found you guilty of the misdemeanor of sexual misconduct. As your punishment, you will leave immediately to go to the final felinoid village to finish your requirement there. At that time, you will learn from the Old Woman of the village the proper care of a felinoid wife, particularly when she should and shouldn't be bedded and how.

"Naotsugu will take you on his gryphon and leave you there. He will leave here to return for you on the third morning from now. If you continue to engage in public acts of indecency or if Purrcy should of her own choice bring evidence to me that you are sexually abusing her, then we will rescind this charge and increase it to the full charge of sexual abuse and apply a double punishment at that time. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Shiroe-ichi," Nyanta replied a little stiffly.

"Michael, please call for the Oracle," Shiroe ordered. Nyanta's tail wanted to bush. He focused on not letting it, ignoring Purrcy until she was spoken to. "Inari?"

"...I am present."

"Purrcy is not to remember this visit to my office."

"...Understood."

"The Council finds you guilty of sexual abuse of both Nyanta and Purrcy. You are required to cease interfering with their marriage immediately. As your punishment, you will halt all experiments relating to the sexuality of Adventurers, permanently. You will let Nyanta have Purrcy only herself from the time at the end of dinner until it is your time to arrive after breakfast. This is a daily indefinite requirement.

"Beginning now, you will erase all data from your database gained from your source relating to the sexuality of Adventurers, for it is all incorrect. The only exception is that you may retain what is necessary to understand the basic anatomy of Adventurers." Shiroe turned to Nyanta. "Do you have anything to add?" Nyanta thought he probably did, but it was a bit sudden. He shook his head. Shiroe turned back to Purrcy. "Inari, do you understand the requirements?"

There was silence for a bit longer than normal. "...What is the consequence for noncompliance?"

"You will break your contract with me and I will fight against you with all that I have to see that you are removed as a faulty system for believing that false data is correct." Shiroe was quite firm.

"...The evidence is against the ruling."

"Search topics: sexual abuse, emotional abuse, spousal abuse, legal rulings of the countries of Japan and the United States on legal cases related to specified topics and recalculate. Nyanta is a native of Japan, Purrcy of the United States so those are the relevant cases." They waited while the World AI searched the entire internet. Surprisingly it only took about five or so minutes.

"...The ruling is acceptable. I will comply." Nyanta almost slumped in relief.

"It is acceptable. You may return Purrcy to her last position and restart her awareness and memory." Michael opened the door to allow Purrcy to return to the common area and closed it behind her again. Shiroe rose from the couch. "We'll end the chat now. Thank you for your time."

"That was really all it took?" Rieze asked.

Shiroe gave a small smile. "It's much better to ask it to prove it to itself with the same data it loves to hold onto."

"I suppose," she answered. "See ya." The rest of the chat lines ended as well.

Shiroe turned to Isaac, who rose as well. "I'm sorry you couldn't really get to meet Hahaue today, but that was her, before breakfast, and at breakfast as well."

Isaac shook his head. "I'll try again, though it's getting old how difficult it is. She's not doing it on purpose, is she?"

Shiroe smiled a little bigger. "No, Isaac. She would have much rather really been her cheerful self than lived through that today. It was just your luck." He glanced at Nyanta. "Do give yourself at least until Nyanta comes back, though, and they've made up properly. Neither one is quite cheerful without the other."

"Nyanta-san...and cheerful...they don't seem to go together somehow," Isaac murmured.

Nyanta gave him an irritated lift of his eyebrow whiskers. "That must be meowr luck as well...to have missed out on most of my time here." He turned to Shiroe. "May I say goodbye to Purrcy before I go? She will likely worry if I don't." Shiroe nodded and motioned him to start them heading out the office. Nyanta went through the door Michael opened for him, followed by Naotsugu.

Purrcy, Tetorō, and several of the Eagles were gathered around the table, working over it with paper and pen. The four juniors were scattered around them, watching. Akatsuki was on the other side of Purrcy from Tetorō. Everyone, of course, looked up when the group walked out of the office.

"I'm sending Nyanta to complete his requirement to the half-beast villages for the next three days," Shiroe announced. "Naotsugu will take him since ProudWing isn't available, but he'll come back until Nyanta's done, then go pick him up. They need to leave now so Naotsugu can be back at a reasonable hour. Purrcy, you are not to contact him while he's gone, nor he you. We will see when he gets back if things have settled between the two of you." Purrcy's ears fell, but she nodded.

Nyanta stepped towards her and she rose to her feet. He held out his hand and she walked to him and took it. With his free hand, he pulled her head to his to give her a kiss. He put his mouth to her ear and whispered, "I'm sorry. I'll be back soon. It is acceptable."

Her hand reached up and grasped his vest for just a moment, then she nodded. "I'm sorry, too," she said quietly. "I'll be waiting."

He released her and stepped back. Loud enough to be heard by the room he said, "Don't forget."

She bowed. "I won't, Nyanta. Be safe."

He nodded and headed for the door giving the juniors a nod on the way. They nodded back. They'd watch over her, to make sure she stayed happy in the mornings. He reached the door, then turned back. "And no sleeping with Michael or Tetorō. Only the girls." He ignored the red faces.

"Yes, Nyanta," Purrcy bowed one more time and he opened the door and walked out, releasing the restriction on her to have to have the breasts. He sighed as Naotsugu shut the door behind him, and looked up at the sky.

It was a cold, clear day. It would be good flying weather, and he'd wear an extra layer to stay warm in the heights. The smell of the day was almost the smell of winter snow. Soon the snows would come. He wished for just a moment for a fireplace to curl up in front of. Maybe the last day of his exile he could find one and just sleep for a full twenty-four hours.

"Regretting it?" Naotsugu asked, getting them moving forward.

Nyanta looked at him and shook his head. "It was necessary."

"Couldn't you have just asked Shiroe to talk to it in the first place?"

"No. It required the full teaching. We'd already told it to run that search and it said it wasn't sufficient evidence. It needed the real evidence of everyone scolding a stubborn me and a stupid it."

"Why you?"

Nyanta's ear twitched. "To prove that stubbornness is nyot a virtue, nor does it make one right."

"So...," Naotsugu looked at him out of the corner of his eye. "regretting it?"

Nyanta have him a half-smile. "Nope."

"Will she keep it you think?"

"Not that any of the rest of mew will see," he said flatly.

"And that's the final punishment, eh? That everyone will know that you're enjoying it but they don't get to?" Nyanta's tail waved, pleased. He chose to not answer it out loud, however. "Closet breast perv," Naotsugu muttered, putting his hands behind his head. "I still want to know --" He flew twenty feet forward as Nyanta roundhouse kicked him down the street.

Nyanta strolled along, humming happily to himself, passing Naotsugu peeling himself up off the pavement. It was nice to know he was finally going to really have a wife from now on. He did wonder why they'd all been playing tic-tac-toe while they waited to hear the word, though.*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The reference to tic-tac-toe is to an old movie ("Wargames") in which they teach an AI that wants to blow up the world that sometimes there isn't a winner. That AI then takes the lesson from tic-tac-toe and applies it to the nuclear war it wants to unleash and gets the same answer (everyone dies = no winner) so backs down. The Eagles are hoping if they teach it to Inari through Purrcy it will get a better clue. They are all working hard, aren't they? :-D


	32. Separation

Purrcy sank down in the love-seat across from Shiroe, looking relieved to be freed finally from her punishment, but exhausted nonetheless. Tetorō sank down in the chair between, feeling about the same. "God. It's not even an hour after breakfast and we have to do that again - over and over and over again today." Tetorō complained.

"It's almost over, Tetorō," Purrcy said calmly. "Today will be the last hard push day. We should try to get it in so the rest can go smoothly without complications."

Shiroe sighed. "Okay, then, let's talk about it, shall we?" They gave him their attention. "First off, tell me what's on the calendar for today. Tetorō you said it was a lot."

Tetorō nodded. "Right now is this meeting. Then sometime today is the meeting between Purrcy and Michael and me. Then there's the Academy Board meeting. She's got at least two minor officials she needs to meet. The tailors might be postpone-able, since they aren't on the major track, but if they could be given the proper hour to hour and a half, today is probably better...since the boss will likely attack tonight or in the morning tomorrow. God forbid it be this afternoon."

"When things settle down, she has a long conversation with Calasin on the slightly longer detailed version of the expansion plan. And it would help her to have more time out in the field earning her supplies and ingredients. There's the gates, too."

He ran his hand through his hair. "I would like to be able to take off at least one day a week, or two half-days, if she stays in town, so if we could set aside even one day a week where she heads out to farm and I get a rest, that would be awesome. The pace has been killing me. I might not remember anything from our meeting today, if we keep it today. Don't know how important that timing is." He looked at Purrcy. She looked at Shiroe, waiting for him to decide.

"Those meetings with minor officials?" Shiroe asked.

"One's the head of the sanitation department. The other one is setting up a negotiated treaty with the leprechauns. That one has to be at dusk, on whatever day. Not critical to happen right away." Tetorō answered again for Purrcy.

"Where are your lists?" Shiroe asked.

"Just a second," Purrcy's to-do list appeared in her hand. She made a few notations and handed it over. "Can I see yours?"

Shiroe handed it over. There was quiet for a brief few minutes while they reviewed each other's lists, then pens were scratching on both sides. When the pens were put away, the lists were handed back across the table and reviewed again.

Then the negotiations began in earnest. Tetorō was quite intrigued to learn how they did business. He was pleasantly surprised when it was over quickly, compared to what it could have been. Of course, then he had to place all the calls and put things on other people's schedules.

-:-:-:-:-

"Should we bathe again on the way past the guild hall?" Tetorō asked. "I'm not sure we should just walk into Water Maple after visiting the garbage dump."

"Just cast a healing spell for status effects, intent to remove 'cursing of awful smells'," Purrcy smiled at him.

Tetorō considered that, then cast one. Surprisingly it actually worked. "Well...of all things," he muttered, but with a smile.

"At least they were close to a back door," Purrcy sighed, "and nowhere near the waterways. It will give a large number of people new jobs...if they'll take them. I hope we can get enough income into the city quick enough to pay for them, though. They have more than two years of garbage to move out of the city now. Plus all the daily garbage still coming in."

"Yeah, but they should be able to do it fast enough, now that they know how to move things without touching them. That should make it a slightly better job than it could have been." Tetorō commented.

The road to Water Maple was taking them past the sister guild halls now and friendly voices called out to them. They waved hello. The blue sky sparkled cheerily. The darker morning seemed to finally be clearing inside and out. Purrcy was perfectly content with just the four guards and Tetorō, sending Michael on to the shipyard to "play" with the star navigator. He'd been just as happy to go, enjoying that "game" himself.

Serera came out of Crescent Moon as they passed by. Looking up she gave them a cheery, "Hello."

"Hello, Serera-chan," Purrcy said happily. "Are you headed into town?"

"Yes, I was, Miss Purrcy. I have something to pick up there." Serera answered politely.

"Will you join us, then?" Purrcy offered. "We're headed to Water Maple Manor. You'd be welcome to come along to there if you have time. I'm meeting with the tailors to get the princess line started for real."

Serera's eyes lit up. She'd been at the fashion show herself as one of the Crescent Moon assistants. "If - if it wouldn't be too much trouble?"

"Not at all," Purrcy answered, waving Serera over to walk next to her. "If you have opinions, I'd love to hear them even."

Tetorō grimaced slightly. "How she comes up with such good designs when her fashion sense is so horrendous, I have no idea. I'm sure the more _proper_ opinions she hears the better."

"Oh, posh. I've done just fine without you so far," Purrcy waved at him. "It's the difference between knowing what people find comfortable and beautiful generally and what I as a person prefer. You know. We've discussed it before."

"You're looking fine today," Serera said shyly.

Purrcy smiled. "I didn't earlier. We've just come from a place I wore my worst work clothes to." She lifted her head proudly and put on airs, "But we can't go visiting a princess in any old work clothes, can we?" Serera stifled a laugh in her hand and Purrcy smiled back, her tail waving in contented sine waves.

They chatted back and forth, bantering as they went, arriving more quickly to the manor house because of it. Akatsuki arrived out of the hidden scenery as they approached the front door. "Purrcy, Tetorō, Serera-chan," she greeted them with a brief nod.

"Practicing?" Tetorō asked. Akatsuki nodded again. She'd been with the hidden guards, but was just coming to visit with the rest, really.

H/R knocked on the door and it was opened by the butler. He let them in, and H/R stayed on the door with Brenner. "Can we go straight to the sitting room this time," Purrcy asked the butler. "Surely we've come enough now?"

The butler gave her a suffering look, but obediently took them anyway. He was used to it with the Adventurers after all. Even if Purrcy was a noble lady, she was also still an Adventurer, and very busy.

"Welcome!" Raynessia walked up to them with a smile, holding her hands out to Purrcy. She was pleased Raynessia had finally remembered to do that automatically.

She took Raynessia's hands in hers warmly and kissed her on both cheeks. "It's so good to see you again, dear."

"Thank you for coming today. Akatsuki said it might be difficult." Raynessia turned her smile on Akatsuki.

"I'm glad they were able to as well," Akatsuki replied, glad for her friend's sake.

"Being able to fit in a little rest after was equally surprising," Purrcy said. "Are you sure it's okay to impose so suddenly for lunch?"

"Of course," Raynessia said graciously. "Most everyone said they'd be able to come, since it's just for lunch."

"Wonderful." Purrcy turned to the central seating area. "Shall we get started, then, so we don't go over and interrupt those plans?"

Three people already sitting rose to greet her as her other guards, P/R and Secretary, moved to stand on the wall where they could observe the room. The eyes of the tailors followed their movements. "Did you design their uniforms?" one asked before even being introduced.

"Yes, I did," Purrcy said modestly. "I'm sorry there wasn't time to invite you to the Fall Festival. You would have been able to see more, but I'll show you today the basics of the new line I'm interested in having you all help me with."

Raynessia stepped in and introduced the three. The thinnest, slightly balding and sporting pocket spectacles, was the tailor Tyron Leighton. He had a kind look about him, keen and interested in all he saw.

Presley Collingwood was laid back, black haired, and looked like he would rather be dressing them all in clothing other than what they were wearing to suit his own tastes, though he nodded slightly at Purrcy's clothing. She'd gone with one of her nicer ones from the new suite that was more Adventurer suited, but didn't scream "princess".

The third was a young woman named Clair Winthrop. Her brown hair was curled and pinned up at the back of her head, and her dress was finely tailored, as if she'd worn her own best work in order to show her skills off. Purrcy was suitably impressed.

"Clair, I understand you're just beginning in the business? I found the dress you sent to Princess Raynessia to be very similar in taste and construction style to what I prefer. It was finely done."

Clair curtsied. "Thank you. Yes, I am hoping to open a tailoring shop soon and have been making dresses and clothing on commission until then."

"I would like to make you a proposition once we're done with the basics here." Purrcy turned to Presley and Tyron. "I've seen the works the Princess has of yours, of course. I would like to know how your tastes run in male clothing lines. My line will have both. Did you happen to bring samples with you?"

Both men bowed and waved to waiting servants. Purrcy seated herself in one of the chairs at the end of the table. Those with her found seats as they would to watch as well. Clair sat while the two tailors took turns showing what they'd brought.

When they'd shown three of each for the male lines, Purrcy held up her hand. "That is sufficient, thank you. Please sit and I'll show you the general designs. I think I know who I would like to commission each of the final products from, now, but you are of course welcome to refuse if you wish. Just one moment while I sort them, please."

The tailors blinked as she appeared to just sit there in quiet, thinking. After little more than a minute, her bracelet glowed green-yellow and a small glowing cube that would fit in her palm appeared in Tyron's lap. "Those are for you to look at. If you aren't interested in one, just flick it with your finger and it will disappear from the list in total."

Another glow of the bracelet and other cube appeared in Presley's lap. "Those are yours, if you'd please take a look at them." Purrcy turned to Clair. "Please come sit here next to me, Miss Clair, and I'll discuss the ones I wanted you to take a look at." Another glow of the bracelet and a third cube appeared in Purrcy's hand. There was a bit of rearrangement for Clair to move closer to Purrcy, then they fell into discussions as the tailors reviewed their selections.

Purrcy gave Clair two pairs of matching sets of clothing, male and female. One was children's size, the other adult. She pointed out specific things she wanted to see, then asked Clair to consider her own variants to the things that she wasn't so critical on. She used them to test Clair's design sense, to see if they really were compatible.

Then she rose from her chair and went to sit next to Tyron, who was fairly quick to go through his potentials. They discussed his refusals and his preferences until Purrcy understood. Then she repeated it for Presley. When she felt she understood, she went back to her chair again.

"Okay, just for the sake of everyone else who's been waiting without much to say for it, if you will find your personal favorite of those I've offered you. If you put your finger on it and hold it, it will grow in size until we can all see it comfortably. We'll start with you Mister Presley, please."

Presley found one and pulled it up. "This is my favorite dress," he stated. "It has simple lines, but is crinolined enough to stand out beautifully. The shoulders are nicely ruffled, the neckline not too low, and the diagonal accent draws the eyes to the face of the wearer. I should think if the purchaser cannot afford too many crinolines, it would still wear well, so should be a good seller." He looked at the larger version. "Though, now that I see it at this scale, it is shorter than we would usually create."

Purrcy nodded. "The Adventurers care less about modesty than the People of the Land. Please feel free to take some time to walk through town while you're here to see how and why that affects my designs. You are welcome to lengthen the skirt for selling to People of the Land, but please don't shorten it just because you see other Adventurers more skimpily clad than I would design for. I've chosen the modesty levels on purpose." Purrcy waved slightly to Tyron.

Tyron put his cube on the table once the design was large enough for everyone to see and inspected it more closely as well first. "Hmm...My initial reaction was that this one would be very masculine, but it appears when larger to not be?"

"It is a masculine effect," Purrcy agreed. "The goal is to be ambivalent with this one. We have come here oddly. Some of our members are males in a female body and some are females in a male body. This one is targeted to those members of our society. While the People of the Land aren't that way, thank goodness, there are some males who would look very proper in something like this, and vice versa, if the women could overcome the embarrassment of wearing pants under the short-skirted top. We find pants more comfortable than skirts, but you will see both on both sexes here. Again, please take the time to explore the city while you are here. Our wide range of history and heritages are shown in the extreme variety of clothing."

"Purrcy, that one is well done," Tetorō praised her. "I'd wear that one."

"Thank you, Lord Tetorō," she smiled at him. "I did design it with you in mind." While Tetorō blushed slightly, she turned back to Tyron. "If you'd be willing to make at least one for Tetorō I would appreciate it. He was one of those who came male in a female body, though we've been able to help him find a solution since. If in the creation of the first one, you decide it still suits you, Mister Tyron, I believe it will sell well to Adventurers, at least."

Akatsuki sat up and leaned forward just a little, looking at the outfit with narrowed eyes. "Please turn it." Her angle was from the side. Tyron politely complied and Akatsuki looked at it closely, then looked back at Purrcy. "Almost...too feminine."

Purrcy nodded. "For you, yes." Her eyes went distant and the picture hanging in the air changed. "This one I was thinking of you, Lady Akatsuki."

Akatsuki studied it with her eyes, then nodded. "That one is better."

"Will you stand up, please?" Tyron asked her. Akatsuki gracefully stood, having been on her knees again. "Do you always kneel?" he asked, looking at her puzzled.

"Yes," she answered.

Tyron looked her up and down and nodded. "Understandable. But you aren't a child."

"No," Akatsuki flushed slightly.

Tyron nodded. "Which is why this one is adult lines and formal. It would also work for high society youngsters as well."

Purrcy smiled slightly. "Yes, I did have the heir in mind as well, though you should of course make his unique. Akatsuki's should be black. That is her preferred color. Other than that, the ones that come here do not have to be particularly unique, unless that is your preference. ...And that leads me to my next part of our visit. Quantities."

The tailors perked up their ears. "I do want specific orders to be delivered to me, such as those two, and others that are marked in what I've given you. Tyron, if you'll tap the top of the design?" He did and a window with text appeared in front of it.

"Those are the requirements for the first one you create. It should come to me free of charge so I can confirm you've done as I requested. I will keep it unless it is in need of major modifications. Once we have agreed on the final design, I will place the orders for the number desired and likely a spread of colors as well to be delivered here to Shopping District 8 for them to sell from their store front.

"At a minimum, I will order thirty of each outfit. My designs are popular enough to sell fifty to one hundred easily, and often more, but which specific ones we don't always guess right the first time, so we start with the thirty and see what sells out fastest. We will send you those follow-on orders as they arise.

"We cannot afford a long lag time between orders and deliveries after that first delivery. At most five days, seven for you because I know you will be shipping it from Maihama, but that is the maximum we can afford. I expect we will request reorders at twenty at a time, unless it is a mediocre selling design that we only need one more order of thirty for, and could probably take in two fifteen quantity shipments." Purrcy stopped. She'd overwhelmed them, but then, she'd known she would. They were used to making their clothing in ones to fives.

"I have invited you to participate because our seamstresses are no longer capable of filling the large requests that come in for not only my line of clothing but the many others that are being created weekly. We need the help of the People of the Land." Purrcy looked down at her hands, then looked back up at them mildly.

"That being said...when you begin to hire the large number of sewers to help you fill the orders, please remember they are living beings as well and should not be forced to work long hard hours in the dark without thought to their health. We have already lived through this level of increase of productivity and those were very dark years for our people.

"I will come to inspect your sewing houses before we begin full production to correct any errors in people management you've decided to line your pockets with. There is plenty of profit to be had without making your employees suffer merely to eek out a pittance more. ...I hope I am being clear enough." Both men nodded, still trying to swallow around dry mouths.

"The Adventurers will wait a month more before they will wish to see the actual purchasable products in the store. By Christmas they absolutely must be on the racks. That is slightly less than eight weeks out." She held up her hand. They were openly protesting now.

"Pick three of each sex. If we have that much, they will be satisfied. Trickling out the total line is acceptable, though by the end of this season's line, I will hope you have set up yourselves to be able to handle the next line more expeditiously."

"Next...line...," Tyron said faintly.

"How frequently do you produce this much?" Presley asked.

"Calasin prefers to have the change at each main season - summer and winter. I produce the lines in the spring and fall, therefore. If he can squeeze a few out of me in the in-between time to keep sales rolling, he will."

"Can we have them sooner?" Presley asked.

Purrcy smiled. He was a good businessman. "Yes, once we've worked on this set and created a proper understanding." They all relaxed a little. "So, shall we discuss the final bit - the financial?" Eyes lit up at that, and they got down to a fast-paced negotiation until a percentage was reached that was agreeable to all parties.

Purrcy wrote up the contracts between her and the gentlemen and they were signed and appropriately registered. "It has been a pleasure doing business with you, gentlesirs," Purrcy said, leaning back. "Thank you for coming to meet with me. I'll keep Clair for a bit longer, but perhaps this would be a good time for you to go exploring the city." The tailors rose and bowed, made sure they had their design boxes, and excused themselves.

Purrcy turned to Clair. "I think you think about clothing very similarly to how I do. I would like to make you a proposition. Will you consider coming on as my apprentice? I'd be willing to make it journeyman level rather quickly. I'm afraid I've run out of time and capacity to handle the creation of new ideas all by myself any longer. You'd have to move here in order to come to understand Adventurers and their tastes more quickly, and so that I can be nearby when you have questions or uncertainties, or if I need to contact you quickly." She waited for the idea to sink in.

"On your own personal designs, I'd take a twenty percent cut while you're listed as an apprentice. As a journeyman I would take a ten percent cut. Should we decide to split and form separate houses, then you'll pay me a fee for being your mistress during that time, but thereafter your ideas are your own. If you should choose to stay, then we can renegotiate my cut at the time that you feel you should be getting a higher percentage, if it comes up. My goal is that we will be the sole provider of clothing to Princess Raynessia and she will become the face of our lines. She has already agreed to this if I can fulfill my promise to her."

Raynessia was looking at her in utter surprise. "What promise?" she finally asked.

Purrcy smiled at Raynessia. "To make you clothing appropriate to the nobility of Maihama and the position of ambassador to the Adventurers that you are actually _willing_ to and _want_ to wear."

Purrcy looked at Clair again. "It is a high bar to attain. She is very particular, but I believe I can reach it, and you have the talent to help. The two pairings of designs I've given you are meant for her and her brother. When you have made the modifications I've asked for, bring them to me.

"When you have reached the level of being able to please Princess Raynessia, we will try it on her to see if we have indeed found the key we are seeking. Then we will gift the male version to her brother and see if he is in agreement. Then...we will create together the next line. If they have enjoyed their first gifts, perhaps they will both consent to be our exclusive models in the spring festival fashion show." Purrcy looked at Raynessia with a sparkle in her eyes.

Raynessia sat back with a little gasp, then shook her head slowly. "Lady Purrcy, you are every bit a high and noble lady...and the worst business person I've ever had to deal with."

Purrcy laughed. "Yes, so I've been told before. But you'll still do it?"

Raynessia looked away, then nodded. "I'm sure I'd much rather wear your line again."

"Wonderful. Thank you. And I think your brother would have much rather been up there on stage himself," Purrcy winked at Raynessia.

"Most likely," she answered dryly.

Having given Clair time to think, Purrcy turned back to her. Clair bowed from her sitting position. "I would be pleased to attempt to follow you, though I think I might not quite have the capacity you do."

"Anything is helpful right now, and as you learn, it will come more quickly and naturally, I would think. Thank you." Purrcy pulled out a contract and handed it over. "If you would please review this and let me know if it's satisfactory?"

Before Purrcy put a pen to it, Tetorō reached over and took the contract and reviewed it very carefully. Only when he was satisfied did he hand it back to Purrcy. "Shiroe approves as well."

Purrcy nodded and signed it. "Princess, are we perhaps close to lunch?"

-:-:-:-:-

"Okay, Tetorō. How are you doing?" Purrcy asked as they walked away from Water Maple Manor, having enjoyed the friendly conversation at lunch with all the friends.

"Mmm...pretty good, actually. Lunch revived me quite a bit."

"Great. I need a thirty minute power nap."

Tetorō laughed and patted his arm. She was quickly a kitten hiding in it. "Even that much was still too social? Even though they are friends now?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Particularly after an intense negotiation. Need to rest the brain."

"Well, that's true enough," Tetorō said quietly, petting her gently. He waited until she was asleep then called Shiroe. "Negotiations went fine. Both tailors are overwhelmed but she gave them an increasing path to get there, and they like the final numbers in terms of comparative profit. She's warned them off the sweatshop right off and will inspect before she lets them start full production to make sure they stick to it...assuming she's here to do it."

Tetorō looked up at the sky, trying to not think about how they were still trying to walk two paths at once. "The young lady signed up, but you know that. She stayed to lunch and was accepted in right away, so they'll take care of her while we're not here. It was still too much for Purrcy, the combination, so she's power napping for a bit before we move on to the next thing.

"The garbage heap was terrible and she's not wrong to make them move it. ...Sorry, but she sold how to do it the cheater style again. They were pretty firm it wasn't going to happen until then, and she was just as firm it was. Given how it smelled, in another two years we won't want to be in our own guild hall by summer if it doesn't get moved. I'm glad it's fall. And I think that catches you up."

"Thanks." Shiroe was as brief as always. "And her mood?"

That surprised Tetorō. "Ah..., happy actually. We passed Crescent Moon on the way past when Serera was coming out and she invited her to go with. Enjoyed being Hahaue for her on the walk over, though she forgot Serera was with us as soon as we got to the manor. Serera didn't mind. Just sat with us like she does when she comes to visit, too. She seemed to enjoy herself."

"Mmm...that's good. Keep me updated."

"Sure thing!" The line cut. Tetorō's next thought was to call Nyanta, then he had to nix it with a bit of a sigh to himself. He pet Purrcy again while walking back along the road they'd come along to begin with. He should have a part of the path engraved with his name by now, or perhaps gilded.

"Hey, Tetorō! What's up guys?"

Tetorō looked over at the rather sudden appearance of two people, one on each side of him. The Eagles with them were a little surprised and almost attacked. He sighed. He'd been waiting for a day like this. "Furbius the Great and HarperBlade of the Knights of the Black Sword. Isaac's set you on watch today, has he? Next time, don't be quite so sneaky. You about died." He kept his voice light, but his words heavy on purpose.

"Since when do _you_ need a guard watch to walk you on the back roads?" Furbius asked in a raking tone.

"But then...we did think we saw the Princess of Log Horizon for just a moment back there," HarperBlade put her hands behind her head and looked at Tetorō out of the corner of her eye. Accidentally on purpose she looked down into Tetorō's arm. "Hoh? What's this." She made them stop so she could look, grabbing hold of Tetorō's arm, though he pulled back. "Ah? A 'werecat'? What's that? Haven't heard of one of those before. Can I see, can I?"

Tetorō blocked the reaching hands with his other hand. "Considering it's sleeping, no. It only looks cute at the _current_ size. If you wake it up at this point, you're likely to lose more than a little blood - like maybe an arm or a head."

Furbius looked over his shoulder. "It's awfully cute, though...and Purrcy's coloring, too."

Tetorō waved him off. "It's hers, of course she'd pick something close."

HarperBlade laughed. "You mean you'll have a five guard watch on just a kitten?"

"No, on a werecat," he corrected. "It's Purrcy's. Remember, she's the Caretaker, so the creatures of Yamato listen to her. She's told it to be nice to the guild, but the rest of the city's almost fair game. We keep watch on it when it comes along for the walk."

"Hmm...yes, walk...," Furbius said from beside him, having come around to peer at the kitten closer. "So...isn't this just Purrcy herself?"

"No, this is Purrseus. You know, the constellation named after the Greek hero who cut off Medusa's head. The galaxy swirls and several feats of similar strength named this one."

"We're quite sure we saw her, though," HarperBlade looked at him with a smirk.

"Then you were seeing things - like what you expected to see when you saw the five of us. I left her at Water Maple for a bit since she wanted to keep visiting with Akatsuki and Princess Raynessia. Purrseus was getting tired and cranky, though, so we're returning it home."

He started walking again, but they were persistent and stayed right with him. "No, really, guys, if you wake it up, we might be in trouble since she's not with us. It's only just fallen asleep. I'd really rather not be torn to shreds." He waved them off. "If you want to visit, we'll do it another time."

H/R and P/R helped them peel off and be left behind. Tetorō didn't relax until his guards relaxed...and that was about the time they arrived at the guild house given they'd been surprised. "I suppose," Tetorō said as they entered the common room, "that's to be expected now that there's more traffic on the road. I didn't expect them to make a full view sneak attack."

"We're still very sorry for not catching them earlier," Brenner said. The four of them were standing at attention. It was right for them to expect punishment after letting those two split as if common passersby and then suddenly attach themselves.

Tetorō nodded. "She and I'll wait here for your replacements, then see MasterChiefS7 immediately for proper disciplining. You're all to continue denying knowing anything at all about a werecat. We'll see if it can stay a rumor a while longer, but I suspect it won't last. I hope until the next level's done, but we'll see." They bowed and took up proper positions for in-house guarding.

Tetorō walked to the couch and sank down with a sigh. He was glad he'd worked up what to do ahead of time last time he'd been panicked while carrying kitten Purrcy. "Akatsuki."

"Yeah."

"I was just ambushed by two of Isaac's. I told them Purrcy stayed back there with you. When you leave, disappear and have the fake guards disappear at the same time so there isn't anyone to ask questions to for the rest of the day."

" _Sigh_. ...Right."

Tetorō leaned his head back on the couch briefly, then lifted it again to look at Purrcy as he pet her lightly. "Log Horizon's Princess, huh? Even they've all got that title for you. I guess we've helped you earn it, though, haven't we?"

He considered her, the soft fur tickling his finger as he brushed it over her back. He whispered, "I guess it wouldn't be much different as the Oracle and Priestess up on the mountain, would it? ...Here's more people, but I'm not sure that's better for you." He sat mesmerized until a hand lightly fell on his shoulder.

He looked up. It was Life Support. "We're ready, and it's about time."

Tetorō nodded. Even if he hadn't dozed, the mesmerization of petting Purrcy was pretty strong. He stood up and walked for the door. The Safety detail joined the two of them and they headed for the Akiba Adventurer Academy and the School Board meeting.

-:-:-:-:-

"Thank mew for the ride, BrownMane," Nyanta thanked Naotsugu's gryphon. The relatively young gryphon (though he should have been just as old as Nyanta's ProudWing since they'd gotten the whistles at the same time) politely only lightly bumped Nyanta, trying to go for a rub more than a nudge. Nyanta suffered it since he was trying.

"Good luck," Naotsugu said, lifting a hand of farewell.

"Thanks. Mew, too." Nyanta waved a hand and turned for the felinoid village. Shiroe, having read the reports from the last time he'd been out, surely knew this would indeed be a punishment for Nyanta.

For the other two half-beast types, he was a stranger interloping who needed teaching certainly, and had been tolerated. The foxtails were the most similar to humans, having intimate family groups living in each den and mating for life. The wolf-fang villages he'd been the most out of place in, of course. Walking into the village was like walking into Akiba, with large numbers of males and at least half the females standing around in the attitude of warriors. There was no disorder and everyone knew what their roles were and were busy being about them, though it was an unhurried lifestyle for the most part.

As expected, they were pack-like, with the village head the alpha male of the pack. He had his two head females, one the older one of wisdom, the other the equivalent of his head wife. Nyanta had been relieved to learn that the village head didn't expect to be the only one to bed all the women in town. Rather, there were so many wolf-fangs that they were split into their subgroups and there was a rather equal subdivision of males to females.

He'd been most impressed with how they taught the adolescents to live in the village structure and had recommended to Shiroe that they should indeed work out an apprentice arrangement. The villages would be able to teach the wolf-fang Adventurers how to properly behave themselves quite admirably, if only a few at a time were sent to break up the current pack mentality in Akiba.

He wasn't quite sure how the village head would handle the Wolf Pack guildmaster, but Nyanta still was impressed with his calm surety and internal strength. He was sure he needn't worry about it. In both packs, he and the village head had reached easy understandings and enjoyed sitting in the evenings talking and drinking. Perhaps that was why he'd stayed too long.

And as to why he'd put off coming here, to this second of the felinoid villages...well. First of all, walking into the village as still human half form was essential. Otherwise he drew aggressive males and far too many curious females. Cats in packs...well it was a different thing, really. Pecking orders were established, and within a month were rearranged if circumstances changed.

It had been hard to find anyone who would admit to being a 'village head'. No one really cared he was there to negotiate and open relations. They _were_ very interested in where he was going to nap or sleep for the night. He'd slept in a tree the first night as large cat, as was his habit, and woken to find himself being slept on, and under, by about five females and three males who'd followed their favored females and joined in. Cat piles might be a normal thing, but for Nyanta, that was _not_ his preferred way to get to know strangers. He'd scolded them all away that morning.

That day, he'd just wandered around the village talking to whomever would talk to him, finally finding one of the greying females who was willing to just sit quietly with him, answering his questions. That night, having scolded off the younger set, three of the mature female felinoids had stalked his tree having spats, not wanting to share him, until he'd finally risen to scold them as well, threatening them with the Caretaker in the end, though they grumbled that she wasn't present so what did it matter? He'd left the next morning at the time the village went out hunting for mice and other small prey. He was sure they hadn't been surprised by his not returning, any more than they'd been very excited at his arrival, save for being new fresh meat.

Nyanta's whiskers twitched. The smell of the felinoid village he was approaching was strong. Not so the Caretaker would send the sanitation department, rather it was more like it was both close, and full of many felinoids. He sighed. Three days would be rather difficult.

He pushed through the final section of overgrowth he was walking through and stopped at the edge of the metropolis he found himself staring at. If the first village had been full of the typical cats who were idle and lazy, this was the "other" one. The one where those who were respectable, wise, and even-tempered were. Three days wasn't going to be enough to see everything there was to see here.

"Hello," a soft voice said, not quite with a purr. "Is this your first time to come?"

Nyanta turned his head and looked at the young female felinoid who had spoken to him. She was wearing a simple grey frock, but was impeccably clean and healthy. Her stance was as proud as his was, and with as little thought to it. "Yes. Can mew tell me what this place is called, please?" He wanted to stay here in this place forever and he hadn't even stepped foot into it yet - only arrived at its boundary.

"This city has several names. The Gate of Time is the one I think you would know it by."

Nyanta's heart froze. The Gate of Time was not a place to adventure in alone, and he already didn't want to leave it. "Please, I've been sent, but I must also arrive again where I was left off three mornings from when I arrived here. Is there a way I may fulfill both of my requirements?"

The felinoid looked behind him. "You've been sent alone?"

"Yes," Nyanta was trembling to hold himself still. "We were unaware this was the Gate of Time, only that it had been rumored to be the second of the two felinoid villages of Yamato. I've been sent by the Adventurer city of Akiba to open relationships with each of the half-beast villages...though this is anything but a village."

Her tail flicked thoughtfully. "You are still at the edge," she finally said. "I will answer your questions and perhaps I shall see the sun pass three times and send you home to arrive at the proper time."

Nyanta bowed. "Thank mew. If I don't return, the Caretaker will surely mourn."

An ear went back and it seemed a breath was taken in. "The Caretaker?"

"Yes. I am her husband. The handfasting was completed last week." His vision was becoming both sharper and waterier at the same time, as if time was distorting space.

Suddenly there was in front of him another felinoid. This one was dressed in a Chinese gown. He bowed. "Li Shou," he said respectfully.

"You know my name," the Chinese cat goddess and keeper of time sounded pleased. Nyanta's deep knowledge of cats wasn't going to be wasted here, and he was relieved he'd studied it. "I may make you my favorite."

"Please, do not. I am sure meowr powers are much greater than those of the Caretaker, however she is very jealous for the one she has claimed as her own." Nyanta immediately rejected and tried to protect himself.

Li Shou gave a light chuckle. "I would never think to go against the Oracle and Priestess of the World God. I know full well I would be asking for it's ire as well." It was a bit of a rebuke. It was also the first time any creature of the world had acknowledged to him exactly how well they understood the titles and role of the Caretaker.

Li Shou held out her hand. In it was an hourglass about three inches tall on a cord. "Wear this. When you are ready, come back to this point again. Turn it once and wait for the sand to fall. If you leave then, one day will have passed outside the city. Turn it and allow the sands to fall again and it will have been two days. Eventually, you too will arrive at your full potential and be able to come here and leave whenever you will. For now, this will allow you to meet your requirements."

Nyanta looked at the status information on the hourglass. It was simply _Sands of Time_ with the same instructions she had just given him. He took it gratefully. "Thank mew very much. How long may I stay in meowr city?"

Li Shou smiled. "That will have to be decided by you, but if you stay too long, you will still fall to the 'curse' of the city and never return home."

His ear twitched. He'd have to fight that very hard. This was a place of learning and wisdom, of calm. Here he could lose himself and never return. The temptation would be extremely high. "What happens if I use the hourglass within the city?"

Li Shou shrugged. "Within the Gate of Time it is just sand. It will fall."

"Then I will enter if you will allow this one to escort me and answer my questions. I will use the hourglass to remind myself that it is time to leave." He put the cord over his head, making sure it didn't tip to spill grains while he was still at the edge of the city.

"Then, be sure you visit all the temples first. The others will wish to greet you as well," Li Shou said graciously.

"Others?" Nyanta asked. The strange warping of time and space happened again and Li Shou was gone.

The grey felinoid who had greeted him to begin with motioned towards the center of the city. "There is one temple devoted to each of the main cat deities on Theldesia. The city actually exists in each of those countries simultaneously as well. We will need to bring you back to this location to be sure you end up on Yamato, and not on the other side of the world."

Nyanta wondered if that was the other reason it was called "Gate" instead of "City". They could potentially gate across the world without getting their own gates functional, though he doubted they'd let commercial traffic through. Purrcy would be so jealous he got to come here without her, was his only thought...until he realized he was being rude to keep his perhaps unwilling hostess. "Ah, I'm sorry. My name is Nyanta."

"It is a pleasure to greet you again, Priest Nyanta." She smiled lightly at his slight consternation to her greeting. "It may feel like your first time to come, and I suppose it is since Li Shou chose to come and gift you herself, however 'when' you enter the Gate of Time is rather unbounded. I am your secretary, MeowLi."

"Did mew know to come find me today?" he asked in surprise.

She smiled. "You will come to learn it eventually. In this moment, we will go on a tour of the temples so that you can know the heads properly the First Time, and then I will answer your questions and send you back. Remembering you can return at any 'time' will help you go home this First Time."

Hearing her say it again, this way, and he finally understood. She'd been saying it formally every time, even when he'd first heard her voice. This was his First Time to enter the Gate of Time within his time restricted memory, and thus a rather unique moment in a place where time was unbounded and moved in ways incomprehensible to the mortal mind.

He sighed, relaxing. "Yes, if I can return, I will find it much easier to leave it at the end of this First Time. I think I shall enjoy myself immensely, this once in a lifetime opportunity to see something new with eyes that are unclouded."

"That is very like you, Priest Nyanta," she smiled. "And would you still like to see your least favorite deity and temple first to get them out of the way?"

Nyanta blinked, then nodded. "Yes, please. But must I really meet with Ovinnik?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. Try to be pleasant this First Time without being condescending and he may allow you to at least have the remainder of the visit be pleasant as well. He did help you with keeping the spirits and fairies at bay while you were on the World Tree with your wife, after all."

Nyanta's nose whiskers twitched up. "Yes, MeowLi. I'll try to be good. After all, I did come expecting to have to make a good First Impression." She laughed a nice laugh at his dry joke. "Is Ceridwen as interesting a conversationalist as I hope?" he asked as they began their journey into the Gate of Time.

"Yes. I will be taking you there last and will have to drag you away as usual, I'm sure." MeowLi was definitely good at keeping him in hand.

"That's good then." He looked at her then. "But, while this is my First Time to enter the Gate of Time, it isn't the First Time for us to meet. I purresume that will come at one of my later times to enter?"

"Yes, Priest Nyanta." It was said very formally. He let it drop. That was enough. It would be another enjoyable First when it occurred, he was quite sure.


	33. Hacker Graduation

"I'm not very surprised the leprechauns took a liking to you, Tatara," Purrcy waved a proud tail as the glittering green light faded from their sight. She looked at the slight blacksmith and Assassin next to her. "You handled their conniving very well."

Tatara shrugged. "Not much different than half my customers."

Purrcy laughed. "I'd imagine not." She looked around the secluded clearing they'd found not too far outside Akiba. "Do you have any final questions for me or are you comfortable with what we've done here?" Tatara looked around also, as if setting in her mind all the requirements and the spell one more time, then nodded once.

"Great. We'll see you back to town, then. We've got one more thing to do tonight before our busy day is done." They got walking, meeting up with Tetorō and the four obvious guards outside the copse of trees. They made small talk on the way back to the city gate, then said their farewells.

When they turned to go back out into the night, a number of other shadows entered the outside zones with them. Purrcy raised an eyeridge of whiskers. "The other guilds have been put on alert," Tetorō told her quietly. She nodded and let him lead their little group to a zone that wasn't too far out and had low enough spawns they wouldn't show up to interrupt them. "I'm sorry we'll have to be uncomfortable," he said.

Purrcy shook her head. "I'm rather enjoying myself getting to be out of the city walls again." She took in a deep breath of the crisp fall evening air. "Really, though we've been busy all day today, things have gone well. Marielle and Henrietta are excellent in their positions at the Academy. The meeting went very smoothly, for all we had a lot to cover. It's encouraging that so many of the youth of Akiba are so willing to participate in picking back up their Earth studies. After this long I would have thought more would have given up, honestly."

Tetorō shook his head. "They're resilient, it's true, but most of them are the most desperate to get home, I think. Life on Earth for them still holds a lot of promise and not many regrets yet, or if they do have regrets, they want to go and fix them now."

Purrcy nodded thoughtfully. "It's nice to see such optimism in youth. ...Very encouraging."

"Unlike the pessimism of age?" Michael's deeper voice sounded on her other side as he landed with a few running steps to catch up to walking with them and remove the last of his forward flight velocity.

Her whiskers twitched. "Well...I don't know if all old people are pessimistic. Just me."

"Hmm...I resemble that remark on most days," Michael said practically. "Prefer to not get my hopes up only to be squashed. Rather would be pleasantly surprised we all made it home in one piece."

Tetorō shook his head. "But life's so much better lived when the sun is greeted daily with a smile."

"True," Purrcy patted his arm with her free hand. The other was holding his elbow. Walking with an escort was already an unconscious habit.

Michael snorted, however. "Closet pessimist," he declared of Tetorō.

Tetorō glared at him. "Not really. Just practical. The rest of the time I'm having fun."

"I like it," Purrcy said, ending the argument with her tone and the whip of her tail. "Practical is the most important, in my opinion. You're not caught off guard that way." They both agreed to that. She looked up and around at their surroundings, mostly shadows of trees and rocks in the faint light. "Intelligence detail, come out. We'll need you to guard on the inside, so you need to be in the inner circle for external protections tonight."

Four more shadows joined them from the tree tops surrounding them. Tonight, they would be guarded in the shadows by D.D.D. special ops and the two floaters from the Eagles. The rest of the Eagles were on guard watch over Shiroe and the rest of the guild. With the word having gone out of a likely special campaign coming up everyone was on higher alert.

They reached the place set aside - a clear hill with only a few rocks on it that was surrounded by the woods. Their hidden guardians would watch from the trees. They went half-way up the hill to sit in a nook made by several taller rocks. Purrcy placed a campfire - already going - and two stacks of firewood in a central location to keep them warmed. The rocks would reflect the heat back, and the Security detail on watch already with her would keep the fire fed as they kept watch on the surroundings.

"I don't expect we'll be long, really," Purrcy said as she settled with her back to a rock, pulling Tetorō to sit on her left. She patted the ground on her right as she looked at Michael.

He settled himself there, sitting cross-legged. "You know...if we weren't here, but still back on Earth, I'd be standing instead. My knees don't let me sit on the ground there any more."

Purrcy patted him on the head. "Retire."

He scowled at her as the rest of the Eagles laughed. "The Geezer's been told that more than once," Gareth said.

"Usually when we want to not have to get up at o'dark thirty and run for twenty miles before we get breakfast," Compliance said.

"Running twenty miles on top of a flat-topped floating bobber is far and away the most boring way to run, too," Ground Safety complained.

"Better'n in the sand," Bowie said. There were nodded agreements to that as the Intelligence detail settled down around the three officers so their bodies at least would be shields, even if they weren't particularly mentally present to the outside world.

Purrcy wiggled to get comfortable, glad to have the additional company. "Basket of kittens," she said happily. They rolled eyes at her. She relented, "Okay, panther kits. Born with strength and sharp claws." Flashes of teeth being uncovered in sharp smiles went around the little group. The Security detail took up watch at the quarters, backs turned away from the fire so they could have some night vision.

"So...get comfortable. We'll be gone a while, walking in the code realm. Stay in physical touch with at least one other person. We're going to chain it. Gareth, you're on watch out here. Send any warnings in to BlackJack. BlackJack, I want you surface - just inside. Bowie and Stiletto, you'll come with at the beginning and I'll position you so that we can get any warnings from BlackJack, and he can get any warnings out if necessary. I'll try to make them as long as possible, but you'll have to be paying attention. It might just look like a blip. And make the send in as short as possible or I'll think it's just overhead noise."

"Yes, ma'am." It was the first time she'd used them directly for security inside.

Michael leaned back against the rock and put his legs out in front of him so the closest Eagle on his side, Gareth, could get in physical contact with him. Tetorō pulled on Purrcy. "Go to cat. Big, but not so big you cut off the circulation to my legs."

As Purrcy complied, it being warmer anyway, Tetorō slid over to her spot and leaned against Michael's shoulder. Purrcy walked up on both their laps and draped herself over their legs. Tetorō put his hand on her head and Michael rested his on her back. They'd be less likely to get jostled apart this way, and it made them altogether a smaller target if they were attacked.

The four of the Intelligence detail moved until they were comfortable with how in contact they were with their charges and each other. When they were ready, Purrcy gave the sign and it was passed up the chain and out to the watchers in the trees. Then they dropped down into the code realm.

-:-:-:-:-

When they were just inside the code realm, Purrcy turned and smiled at the five with her. "We won't be walking through space, but through time - or so it will appear. BlackJack, you build the secure house since you're the one manning it. Here time is moving at roughly the same as outside - a little faster, but it works. Where we go next will be a thousand times faster. Set up a spell to catch anything that comes out from us if you don't think you can see or hear that fast."

Michael made her wait until BlackJack was ready, his spells created and cast. As he worked, Purrcy said, "I'm going to have Bowie the next in line. You'll be on your own in that layer, so your survival skills will be essential if you get noticed. We can get out to you as soon as you let us know you're in trouble but calling out for help will take too long, so should be the second call you make."

"You're really going to take us all the way to nano?" Michael folded his arms and looked at her sternly.

"We won't be deep for long, but you need to know how it looks, feels, and how to get around in it." They couldn't argue much to that. BlackJack let them know he was ready.

Purrcy considered the four that would go with her, then included BlackJack. "If you have to come inside the next layer to talk to us, you'll need to graduate." She called up Tetorō's status data and had it hover near him. They all looked at it. "Tetorō, you have worked very hard over the last half-year. Indeed, you are nearly irrepressible." Her whiskers twitched up wryly. "Only the fact that you keep yourself repressed helps me keep you contained."

"You're doing it on purpose?" he asked surprised, then shook his head. "No, you said way back that Michael was ready to cross over. I've always wondered why he never has."

Purrcy nodded. "I had to contain him then, and since then I've had to keep the rest of you contained." BlackJack, Bowie, and Stiletto gave her suspicious looks. She ignored them, mostly. She looked at Tetorō's status data and after one second it glowed and changed. His Class list upgraded to add Programmer and he received a new sub-class: Magic Researcher.

"What's that one for?" he asked.

"The hours and careful attention to understanding everything done by me and other pseudocode mages."

"The points are already rather high," he said, a bit proud of the fact. Purrcy nodded.

She left his status data up for him to continue to appreciate a bit longer, then turned to Michael and pulled up his status data. Tetorō took down his own status display to be polite, and because he discovered he could. Michael's status data glowed and his Class list also had added to it Programmer and his new sub-class was Realm Walker.

"How long ago did I _actually_ earn it, and what the hell's a Realm Walker?" Michael seemed a bit disgruntled to have been held back.

"The spell you cast at the demonstration in the spring; and I think it's because of how you view, travel, and work in the code realm the same as you do in the outer realm. It's a nice sub-skill, though. You might be able to find other realms to walk around in, given this is a crazy world."

Michael snorted. "Like the spirit realm and death realms?"

"Yeah, something like that," Purrcy agreed, moving on to BlackJack. BlackJack shook his head, not really believing she'd locked them down, too. His status didn't go to Programmer, but his point level on Hacker suddenly jumped. "If you cast a few more, or one big one, you'll go up and be able to come down and help Bowie if he gets into trouble." BlackJack nodded.

That meant that Bowie _did_ get a Class addition. "You're dangerous. I'm not thrilled to let you loose. Behave, got it?" Purrcy said. Bowie blinked. "You just crossed over a little bit ago."

Purrcy stopped in front of Stiletto and her lips pursed. "I have no idea what to do with your sub-class. Good luck figuring that one out." His data appeared. With the last glow, his second Class of Programmer appeared next to Assassin, which all the others had as well, and a new sub-class of Aural Dweller.

"The Round Table council is already afraid of Shiroe having control of so many Hackers. Finding out that he has high level Assassins who are now all Programmers for an eventual six total Programmers is going to give them the willies - and likely to push them to get their own. I'd like to not have a cold war going so keep these under wraps please." She was talking to all of them, but she was still looking at Bowie.

With a wave of her hand, which looked like she was brushing away cobwebs, the status on all three of the Eagles standing with her were suddenly starkly printed in the air. The all stared, then dropped sheepish heads. Previously, their levels had all read they were level 90. Now they all showed 100 and nearing 101. "You can keep those under wraps for now but you need to let the guild know, particularly Shiroe." They nodded sheepishly.

"Right then," she was business again. "Step with me one more level. We'll leave it to you here, BlackJack." He saluted as she gathered the others up and phased up through the milli level into the micro layer of the code realm. In appearance it was similar, but the landscape now included a BlackJack as a pillar of stone that hardly appeared to move.

Into view also came lights that danced lightly about them or passed by above and to the side of them as if purposely going from somewhere to somewhere. Occasionally one of those lights would arrive at Purrcy and at a regular interval one or another would leave her.

"On this level, we can see the data packets moving," she said to them. "Most of the floating motes of light are the heavier gaseous elements moving through space. Unless they start moving at high speeds, they are harmless. If you see one that isn't purposeful, but looks like a bullet or a meteor it's a radiative particle and they are harmful. Dodge those or send an equivalent at it to deflect it.

"Michael, with proper intent, your defensive armor should work like a shield against them. There is the possibility a weapon swung at them might deflect them as well, if you're getting bombarded and there's nowhere to dodge to. There aren't really any other natural things to have to defend against here. Of course here is where you'll run into other Programmers and their attacks."

They spent the next while - what felt like probably an hour of time to them - being taught the basics of how to see slower attacks coming and recognize what they were, how to see the various levels from within that one level so that they could know what they were affecting or what might be trying to affect them, and other tools that would help them at that level.

When Purrcy was satisfied they had enough of a basic grasp to be able to work at getting along in that level of the code realm on their own, she called them to regroup and rest. "Bowie, set up the next secure room. You'll stay at this level. Work at figuring out how to call out to BlackJack while it's not an emergency."

Tetorō sat up straight. "Wait. Don't we have to be TechnoMages to get to the nano level?"

"No," Purrcy answered. "Not if a TechnoMage takes you there." She gave a wry grin.

Bowie indicated he was ready with his communications spells. His safe house had gone up first. Purrcy gathered up the other three and they rose to the nano level. She took a shorter time to describe this level since they wouldn't be getting there on their own for a long time. Just enough to warn them what not to touch and how to hide if necessary, then she watched carefully while each of them built a secure fox hole. She showed them modifications and tweaks until she was satisfied.

"Okay, Stiletto, come put a safe house around the fox holes. Make it low and like it isn't here." He nodded. They had to build blinds like that for special operations. When it was up, Purrcy was impressed. "Now, keep watch from inside. I'm taking the other two in for their special lessons. I'll leave a doorbell for you. Press it if there's an emergency and we're needed. Don't die. That will mess up our carefully laid out communication line."

He rolled his eyes as he turned away from her and Michael flicked him on the head. Purrcy smiled a small smile, but she was serious. This level wasn't one to play around with.

When she and her two journeymen were in her secure field, they looked at her. "Are you going to let Bowie know what his sub-class is?" Michael asked her.

"No."

He pursed his lips at her. "If he's already doing it, what's it matter?"

She looked at him quietly for a moment, then said, "I'm not hiding it from _him_. He's already doing it so he already knows what it is."

Michael's mouth opened and he sat back a bit. "Well...good point. And...you didn't tell him _not_ to do anything...except not to get into trouble."

Purrcy nodded then pulled up their statuses again. This time, they were pristine. They stared at their actual stats for a long time before returning to stare at her. "And we're titled?"

Purrcy ran a hand over the top of her head. "You're both unique in this world. Every Hacker and Programmer is, you already know, but those who rise to the top are even more so. All of those who visited with us back when I got attacked by the Superuser - they likely also all have titles like these.

"I can keep all these things hidden because I'm higher level as a TechnoMage. You can't hide your base stats from other Programmers if they go looking. Any layer of obfuscation laid over them looks like a veil. It can be thick and heavy, but they know there's something different underneath and they'll work to pry it out.

"To a TechnoMage even the thickest obfuscations are no more than mist. I have to work hard to see the lies over the top. Correspondingly, when I obfuscate something, no one of lesser level can see through it at all, though they could worm their way in to the real data, I suppose, since anything can be coded with enough patience and effort."

She sent two little balls of light towards them. "Here's the full data I want to pass on to you. Take your time studying it and ask me question. I'm going to nap around the edges, and help keep an eye on things outside. When you're done we'll do some practicals then it's time to go."

"Purrcy," Tetorō said slowly. "I can't imagine the Superuser, or World AI, would continue to allow this kind of magic to exist after whatever needs are met that it was needed for."

Purrcy nodded, thoughtful. "It's like the scaffolding. Once the world is set as it wants and is moving forward on it's own, it will be part of what gets torn down and removed. We're the same. We've been called in to be the bricklayers, or maybe painters, and we're up on the scaffolding putting some of the last pieces into the world. At the same time, we've been called in to fix previous errors so we're also doing that. Once both are done, it's very likely you're right and this kind of magic will be removed from the world."

Purrcy shrugged. "It's okay. We work like that on Earth, too. Specialists are called in, they do what needs to be done, then move on. We have tasks we came from and tasks we can move on to. Right now, we focus on the current task, trying our best until we're able to complete the work that needs to be done."

Tetorō sighed. "I'll miss it, though."

Purrcy smiled. "Go into computational intelligence and work for the government when you get back. They'll love you and you'll love the work. Maybe you'll find the way back here from that side." She laughed lightly. "After all, aren't all worlds being worked on all the time? And Earth is pretty old. I'll bet it gets regular upgrades and repairs all the time." She waved at the glowing light in front of him and settled down to wait on them, setting herself as the fifth guard.

A few hours later, Stiletto asked her, "How long are we going to be here?"

"Probably a few days," she answered back. "If you get hungry, eat. If you get tired, nap. Just set alarms up." Stiletto sighed and settled, but she was sure he'd not waste those 'hours' any more than he did the ones outside.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy, Michael, and Tetorō dug themselves out of their foxholes and stretched, shaking off their motionlessness for the last little while as they'd debriefed the lessons just finished. Michael shook Stiletto's shoulder. "Time to get moving," he said. Stiletto stretched and yawned, and rose also. Purrcy wrapped them all up and stepped back down to the micro level. They could feel the drag as they slowed down one thousand times.

When Bowie was a moving creature instead of a statue that only moved very imperceptibly, she said, "Take your time getting used to the lower speeds. It's possible to miscalculate until you're back in sync."

"That didn't take long," Bowie said. "Not much has happened here in the last three to four minutes."

"What about the last couple of days?" Stiletto asked him.

"Days? We've been following Miss Purrcy around the last couple of days. You've only been in there for the last several minutes."

Purrcy turned away with a smug smile. "So, now that we're back, if the four of you want to practice in this level you can go in pairs while I sit here and monitor my lines and take Bowie's place in the communication chain. If you need help, let me know and I'll give you ideas for getting unstuck."

"And just how long do we have in this layer before we have to go back?" Tetorō asked suspiciously.

"Umm," Purrcy calculated, "however long you can last, but no more than about four days to four and a half - or the equivalent." Bowie stared at her, but the others nodded. "That's plenty of time to get a lot of experience in while I'm around to teach. The only problem is that Michael and Tetorō are pretty far down in HP at this point."

"Will my healing magic work in here?" Tetorō asked.

"Haven't you tried it yet?" Purrcy asked.

Tetorō shook his head and tried a mid-level area effect spell. When it worked, they were relieved. "Since you're our only healer in here, keep your spells to only emergencies, Tetorō," Purrcy instructed. "That's both code and healing. You won't get to increase your MP again until you're outside. That will likely be our time limiter." Tetorō wrinkled his nose, not liking having to restrain his spell casting, but nodded.

As the two pairs headed out, Purrcy settled down to rest on her paws. She was used to this level and the waiting time involved. It worked well for cats who liked to be lazy and take cat naps.

-:-:-:-:-

Four psyche bodies flopped down in the secure room to try and recover. "Good work," Purrcy said to them. "You managed to get here quick enough. While you recover, learn the mods I made to Bowie's code on his room. The hounds should wander off in a bit. You did well enough for newbie Programmers."

Tetorō wrinkled his nose. "It feels like starting all over again."

"Newbie's once again," Michael agreed.

"Yes," Purrcy agreed. "This level is the best one to work in, particularly for Programmers, so that's who you'll find in here. You've all still got a lot to learn. Only in the first level where Hackers are, are things what they appear to be."

Stiletto rubbed a hand on his face. "I got bored enough in the upper level to wander out finally. There things are liquid, not dancing motes, and a lot of it's corrosive. It's hard to wander around in, so I didn't do it much."

Purrcy nodded. "The code that is light flying by on a mission here in the micro layer are bits that move like magma and are just as unstoppable. You have to be really careful which bit you affect and how or you send back a warning to the creator and it hammers you. If the command was wrappered with protections, then the outer layers are that corrosion, and you can't get inside without a lot of damage. The nano layer takes a lot of careful learning."

They sat quietly as the four obediently worked on their lesson to inspect the safe room code for the Programming level. There was suddenly a knocking at the door, as it were. Purrcy looked out her peep hole, then invited the package into a safe box and ran a security check on it. When it was declared safe, she told it to open and displayed the visual to the room so the others could see it.

A light was shown entering a line and beginning a run down it. Other lights were cued up in a different area, waiting near other lines. The message contained auditory next. "The first one is headed to your physical address. You might want to intercept. The others are Overwritten getting ready to ride the coattails down for a Special, also near your address." That was it.

"Heh," Michael said, "it's nice of him to give you warning." He nodded at Bowie who sent a message back to the outside that things were on their way and to only observe for now.

"Well, now," Purrcy stood and stretched. "Time to really train you lot. Come along and pay attention." She rose up above the secure room and they followed behind her.

They learned how to sniff out the faint trace of where that message had come from (it having come from a very high level Programmer). Then how to dig out the one little detail that made it unique, and how to follow it back, crumb by crumb. They learned how to only inspect the one site on a mirror it had bounced off of to find the new angle of the path. They learned how to prevent traps and sniffers from going off. Those would take a lot more experience for all four of them. ...And they all did it from about the size of a single bit.

When the light flashed overhead, Purrcy shoved Bowie and Stiletto out of the micro layer and into the milli layer, saying on the way, "Follow it in. Restrain in secret until I get there. Record and observe only. Michael, you take the line it came in on. We'll hop over there when this line diverges to the sender. I don't need to contact him this time, but I want to see how far they stay parallel."

The line Michael was following was very obvious, so he didn't need to work so hard. He put more of his focus on watching the surroundings for traps and other enemy types, particularly what traps might have been sprung by the incoming flash, but it looked like none but watchers who recorded the anomaly. At least in this layer.

It looked like a few had been set off in the milli layer, but only just the beginnings of light were showing in them as if they were just opening their eyes and it would take a lot more minutes for them to finally send their warnings off. They wouldn't see the three of them.

"Whoa up!" Purrcy said and they all stopped. "He's put his warnings and traps way out in advance. I'd rather not set them off. We'll slip over there now." She backed herself and Tetorō up, then slipped over to the line Michael was following and caught up to him. They made faster time, then, zipping along the line, then up it.

She grabbed hold of them and pulled them with her. "Put your intent into it, to break free of the gravity well." That worked well enough to get them free and up into the server, where she had them float gently in the space over the line they were following. "Hmm...do you see what I see?" she asked, pointing.

Michael and Tetorō looked over towards the other gathering lights. "Looks like one of those magical curtains of mist," Tetorō said.

Purrcy nodded. "They can't get to each other. They aren't like us, two halves of the same. Or if they are, they're prevented from combining. That means they can't answer that question for us. We'll have to answer it for ourselves. We'll see what that one has to say as well, though."

"We've got about an hour or so to explore and get as much data as we can. Watch yourselves, but I think we need to divide. What we see here and what we see when we follow them back from the base realm is different, as you already know. Let's get what we can. Record as you go...though of course you already are." They grinned at her then they got to work.

-:-:-:-:-

Gareth felt a prickling shortly after the main group around him went under, into the code realm. They only looked asleep even still, and he wasn't getting any warnings from that place, but he was still prickling.

"Something's up," he said quietly on the open chat for all surface watchers. The four around the fire stiffened and paid attention. "It's not in the code realm," he added for clarification, since everyone on alert besides him was supposed to be paying attention to that side.

"Moonrise," came back a quiet report from the woods.

There were sudden exclamations as a moon-white beam flashed into the area, headed for the side of the hill where he was on watch. He had a shield up as fast as he could, and a few others went up as well, but it was too late.

As he turned his head to look at Purrcy, where the moonbeam had been headed, he watched as the cat in the lap of the two men turned into a large rabbit, of all things. "Purrcy isn't Purrcy anymore. ...Rabbit," he sent out.

"Don't hurt it," came immediately and insistently from the D.D.D. contact. "Rabbits from the moon are traditionally kind and helpful. Talk first."

"Roger," he answered. He could feel a number of D.D.D. members ghosting over to their spot from the forest. He knew when they were in place that he'd have more back up inside the circle. Until then, the four on watch kept outward. He cleared his throat. "Hello. Can we help you?" he asked the MoonRabbit. It was now sitting up, ears pricked up, looking at him brightly.

"Are these okay? You didn't kill them?" the MoonRabbit asked, a little nervously.

"No. They're fine," he reassured the MoonRabbit. "I'm the one on watch."

"Oh. Okay." The MoonRabbit scratched at its ear with a hind paw, likely more because it was trying to think than because it really had an itch. Purrcy was very clean after all. "I would like to meet with the Archmage, if I may."

"Shiroe?" Gareth wanted to make sure, and give Avionics Safety time to private chat the guildmaster.

"Yes, that's the one," the MoonRabbit nodded happily.

"Okay. It will take a bit of time for him to get here, if you can wait, please." Gareth was pleasant.

"Come? Not go?" the MoonRabbit asked.

"Here's safer, most likely," Gareth answered. "We protect the Caretaker well, after all."

The MoonRabbit tipped its head. "Caretaker?"

"Ah...perhaps you would know the Priestess and Oracle of Inari, then?"

"Oh, yes," the MoonRabbit nodded happily, "I know those."

"I thought you might, since you're borrowing the Oracle, after all," Gareth explained. "They're all one and the same." The MoonRabbit looked a little embarrassed for some reason.

-:-:-:-:-

"I understand you'd like to talk to me?" Shiroe appeared in the circle of firelight, dressed in his white robe and carrying his staff. The firelight glinted off the glass in front of his eyes, almost making it look like he had fire for irises.

"Ah, yes, please," the MoonRabbit bowed, the ears flopping over its head and back again as it moved. "I come with a warning. At midnight the autumn equinox begins. The others - the Harvesters - will be coming with the Special campaign."

Shiroe pursed his lips. "You came into the Oracle. Will they as well?"

The MoonRabbit shook its head. "Oh, no. There was just a moment it was open and I took the opportunity to come and warn you."

"Why?" asked Shiroe. "You haven't before."

"Ah..., well...," the MoonRabbit looked sideways, and a hind foot drummed on Michael's leg. "Because it's quite a large number of the higher levels." An ear drooped. "We were a bit surprised to see that actually. But," it looked around at the people around it, "I think I understand it now. You have many high level fighters of the new type."

Shiroe's eyes also scanned the men around the the MoonRabbit. He nodded, but didn't say anything to it. "Have you been able to find the window yet?"

The MoonRabbit paused, then shook his head. Shiroe was irritated when it gave the same platitudes he'd been getting from them for the last six months. The same reasons why nothing was moving forward on their side. From the perspective of the Adventurers, nine months was plenty long enough to have more than the initial leads and hints. He was going to have to decide they either couldn't do it and didn't want to admit it, or they didn't want to help him.

His tendency was to lean to the latter. As part of the same alien species as the Harvesters, it wouldn't be at all surprising to learn that the Observers in the end had the same goal. "Well..., perhaps you can't do it after all," he said, looking down and pushing up his glasses, then looking back at the MoonRabbit through his lashes. "We'll keep working from this end, since I'm not willing to give up, but you can perhaps find a way for us to prevent having the Harvesters come anymore?"

"Oh, well...," the MoonRabbit looked away, "no...we can't really do that. But we'll keep searching for your world."

"Hmm...I see." That pretty much clinched it. "How did you manage to get into the Oracle when she wasn't called, but was already here?" Shiroe asked.

"Ah...it's also part of the coming campaign. It's the time of the obon and higan. I'm one of your ancestors, technically."

Shiroe blinked then a small smile appeared on his face. "Nice loophole," he said. "Here," he made a bowl of fruits and a small bouquet of flowers appear on the ground in front of Michael and Tetorō. After a bit of thinking, he managed to get a stick of burning incense to show up as well.

The MoonRabbit blinked in pleased surprise. "Thank you." It moved down the legs it was sitting on and stuck its nose in the bowl of fruits to pick one out and start munching on it.

Shiroe sat down cross legged and put his staff across his lap. "Well, since we have until nearly midnight, let me ask a few more questions."

The MoonRabbit nodded. "Happy to oblige."

"Do you want to go home, if you can?"

The MoonRabbit paused, and an ear twitched. "It isn't necessary."

"Time may have passed, but it's still home."

The MoonRabbit shrugged. "Here is where we came for the Match, and it has been sufficient."

"Why can you, the Observers, only get to the test database and the Harvesters only to the monster database for special events?"

The MoonRabbit shrugged again. "We can see each other, but only certain doors open for us."

Shiroe considered that news for a bit, then finally nodded. He rose to his feet again and pushed up his glasses that had slipped down as he'd moved. "Thank you for the warning. We'll be sure to have extra Adventurers on the field to account for the increased strength." The MoonRabbit gave the twitch he was looking for. "Can we have our friend back now, please?"

A glow came from the MoonRabbit that consolidated into a small bright ball of light at the chest of the MoonRabbit. The ball sparkled for a bit, then shot as a beam back towards the moon. The MoonRabbit became the calico felinoid again, draped across the feet of her two guards. Shiroe sighed and walked over to put his hand on her head. "Purrcy?"

The femfelinoid stirred, then pushed up to look around. "Are you just about ready?" she asked pleasantly.

"I have a final conference, but then we should be," he answered politely.

"Well, I hope everyone does well and has fun," she answered. "I'm looking forward to working with you for the first time."

Shiroe rose, the firelight glinting off his glasses again and hiding his expression. "It should be an interesting experience," he said. "Please feel free to continue resting until then. Midnight battles mean rest beforehand is important."

"Okay," she answered cheerfully. She looked around at everyone again, then pushed her way between Michael and Tetorō, snuggling down with a last grin and flip of the tail for him. Shiroe gave a brief nod and turned and walked away from the temporary camp.

-:-:-:-:-

"Shiroe-sempai, does Purrcy know about the Navigators?" Soujirou asked.

Shiroe looked across the Round Table conference table and shook his head. "No. She knows very little. She's had to fight the Harvesters a few times, but only when she's found them eradicating monsters in their home zones." A bit of a stunned silence met him. "They apparently aren't Harvesting while they do it, so I'm not sure why they even bother, but the creatures don't like them at all, any more than we do." That wasn't surprising to anyone.

"She's going to watch them from the code realm and see if there's anything new that displays there, or if there's a separate code construct on top of the monsters that were in the original expansion pack. I'd like to know if they are a dual being or if they are really overwritten."

Isaac nodded. "I'd rather fight what's underneath, honestly."

"Or just not have to deal with them at all," growled Woodstock, folding his arms.

Soujirou nodded from behind his clasped hands. "I'm really tired of fighting these every time there's a new special event. The hollow lifelessness coupled with their insanity really makes them both tedious and macabre. 'What's the point?' is what I feel as we fight them."

Rieze nodded. "May as well line up and use flamethrowers and Gatling guns. I'd not show up at all if it was still online. I'd watch my favorite soap opera instead." The others blinked that she was of the sort to watch soap operas, though Shiroe thought it was perhaps a statement to how much she disliked fighting the 'special events' since they'd all become Harvester events, and not that she actually _had_ a favorite soap opera.

"They don't leave very good drops, either," Ains complained. "I'm having trouble finding volunteers to help this time. And the more there are, usually means the less there is to make it worth it."

"Sadly, since we do live here, we can't let up or they'll do damage we'd rather not have to repair," Michitaka sighed.

There was a moment of silence. "Do you think we could just turn it over to the Hackers and have them do a wide area bombing?"

"Yeah, like if they can make a spell against one of a common enemy and apply it to all of them on the field at once?" Rieze asked. "That could get rid of a lot of clutter at the outset and the rest of us could focus on the big guys."

It had merit, though Shiroe wasn't sure using the Hackers that way was a good path to walk. "I'm a bit concerned about the cost. The more opponents a spell affects, the higher the cost, the same for the wider the area. Do both and it might not go off until the rest of us have killed them off anyway," he warned.

"Still, I'd rather get it over as soon as possible," Isaac frowned. The rest of the circle was in unanimous agreement. "Do your best, Machiavelli-in-Glasses, so we can all go back to bed."

Shiroe sighed. "When the first ones are spotted, call in on the full chat. I'm going to run it from the hill. I'm quite sure these are coming just because we have the new sub-classes and all my Hackers are there. We'll be very busy out there."

"Well, it is our first time to get to work with them in our parties," Roderick nodded. "It will be an interesting experiment."

"I hope you all do better than Purrcy's test," Shiroe said rising to his feet. "Protect them well. I expect them to be taken out early, otherwise. And, just the same, I expect most attacks to come from that same place." The rest sighed and nodded as they also rose to go to their positions of defense of Akiba.

Shiroe stayed standing at his place, a hand resting on the table, until only he was in the room. Then he made a simple chat call. "Stiletto, you may begin." Upon confirmation, he also left the umbrella of the secure Round Table Council room.


	34. Pivotal Fall Equinox Special: The Higan

Gareth looked up as Shiroe walked back into the firelight again. Shiroe nodded a greeting. "Everything still quiet?"

"Yessir," Gareth answered. At Shiroe's gesture, he reached across Michael and shook Purrcy awake. "Miss Purrcy, Mister Shiroe would like to conference with you before the battle begins." Her eyes opened and she looked around, then smiled. When she struggled to rise from her position of being stuck between the two men, Gareth held out his hand and helped her rise and step out from the pile.

"What can I do for you, Shiroe?" she asked him.

He gestured for her to sit with him near the fire and away from the still-recumbent men. It was late enough to be chilly far from the fire, though it wasn't too bad in their Adventurer bodies. When Shiroe and Purrcy were settled, Shiroe gave a nod to Gareth and he went back to monitoring.

"I was wondering, since I've been asked by the Round Table, is it possible to get a spell going now that would take out all the Overwritten so that they can't come back any more," Shiroe began.

Purrcy frowned. "Well, it's certainly possible, but are you sure that's what you want?"

Shiroe leaned back a little and looked up at the tiny sparks of the fire rising into the night air. "Well...yes. You see, I've just come from meeting with the guildmasters. The Adventurers in general have gotten frustrated. Every time we fight the special events, all we get are Overwritten coming for empathions. It's quite dull.

"The guildmasters told me I have two options for this one. Have you write a general spell that makes it so they all die on arrival, or they're going to stay home and not help at all, particularly when it comes to the little ones. Those are just annoying and likely we'll have a lot of them since it's an event of the dead and spirits." Shiroe looked at Purrcy out of the corner of his eye. "Rieze even said if it was an event back home, she'd skip it to watch her favorite soap opera, and I'm quite certain she doesn't watch soap operas."

There was a twitch and the barest hint of a scowl. "Why would they do that?" she asked. "Won't it take everyone working together?"

"Not if you can start on a spell now to take them out when they appear. We'd all like to go home and sleep. Midnight raids are even more difficult, though of course it will be the time the moon is directly overhead, so I'm sure that's another reason it's happening then," he looked morose. "We'd all rather be sleeping in our beds, I'm sure."

"Oh," Purrcy said and looked thoughtful. "Well...of course I can put together a spell that would be effective by then, if you're really sure. You don't want to try to talk to one?"

"No, not anymore," Shiroe shrugged. "If you want to, I suppose you could go ahead." He shifted to lean back on his hands. "We were thinking that if a spell could be created for one of the most common types, and then applied to all of that type for the whole zone of the event all at once, that would mean we wouldn't have to waste time and manpower taking down the irritating small fry. I know that's an expensive proposition, so if you started it now it could go off on their arrival."

He took a breath and shifted. "They really just want to kill us off to collect the empathions, so after that one, if it could be modified for the next most common, that might be the mid-level ones. The range would be the same, but I would expect the number to affect would be less, so a simple modification to the first spell, and it should be able to go off not too much later and not cost too much.

"If we needed a third to take it down to just making the main boss come out, I think there are plenty who wouldn't mind having their targets taken out. I mean," he shrugged casually, "it's not like we get decent drops for these. No one cares really - they'd rather be in bed - so the sooner it's over, the better."

Again a twitch and a down turning of the whiskers this time. "It really isn't a fun challenge?" Purrcy asked. "I thought that's what the Adventurers in the cities enjoyed doing?"

Shiroe shrugged again. "Not really. We've been here long enough that most of us have moved on to living life and find that challenging enough. Those who like to fight for the fun of it are the ones who harvest supplies for the crafters. The larger fighting guilds do that in the standard dungeons where the proper drops are.

"These kind of things don't drop anything useful, as I said, so they're just irritations. Having aliens who want to harvest us like we're cattle added into them just makes it more so. We're not interested in dying to donate empathions to an alien race, particularly when we'd like to keep them shared among ourselves."

Purrcy shifted forward, "Well, what sorts of rewards would make it worthwhile?"

Shiroe shook his head. "As I said, most people who are still collecting rewards are the intermediates who are going to the dungeons that already existed in the previous versions of _Elder Tales_. We've visited all the new ones from the upgrade in Yamato already. Since we know what they drop now, they've been added to the harvesting rotation as needed.

"Really what we'd rather have at this point is the gates working. Then we could not only sell our products worldwide more easily, we could also get parties to the dungeons in other regions around the world easily. That would bring in a few more of the rarer items that are really hard to find in Yamato."

"Hmm," Purrcy rubbed her chin. "That's a difficulty, isn't it? Would it be worth it for a scroll that helped with the gates, then?"

Shiroe considered that. "Well...maybe. Not fighting all the massive little ones, though. But maybe the top tier and the boss."

Purrcy rubbed an ear. "It might not be much for those levels. After all...," Purrcy paused and looked at Shiroe.

Shiroe sat up, turned, and looked full on into Purrcy's eyes. "So. What shall I call you?"

"What? Purrcy of course."

"No. You're not Purrcy. You are the Izanami half of the kami Inari. I would presume probably the Game Bot itself." Purrcy blinked. "I mean, it's not like we don't like the game or a proper challenge. We'd just like to be done with the Navigators. I'm quite certain that the Observers are looking to send Harvesters to our home planet and would love to coat-tail our journey back home. We're not really interested in that either.

"We'd happily exchange being given their universe hopping technology for the battle that ensures their extinction from the moon server, but I'm not sure if that's something you're willing to give us, Inari-no-Izanami. Inari-no-Izanagi probably would, just for the sake of removing the Navigators from the system."*

Purrcy's eyes glowed. Shiroe hoped the shields that had been put up over him held. He'd just provoked a deity and was sitting at point blank range. "I do want to let you know that I understand for the game to be a game and worthwhile, you need players. You need Adventurers present."

He wasn't dead yet so he decided that maybe Inari-no-Izanami was willing to let him keep going with that thought. "And you're already pleased Nyanta and Purrcy are willing to stay on their own accord. You seem to have not heard, though, that what I'm really looking for is a way not only to get the Adventurers home, but for them to be able to come back again."

He let that sink in, watching Purrcy carefully. "I'd like to have the universe hopping technology in the hands of our Programmers and Technicians so they can study it and see if that's possible. If the Navigators used it to get here, and are using it to send empathions back home, then it should be a two-way path.

"On a smaller scale, it could be used to power the gates, giving us the more powerful gaming and life experience here we desire, making it all the more intriguing to either stay, for those who wish to, or for more commerce between the worlds."

He got another cold wave and hurried to explain that, too. "I understand Inari-no-Izanagi probably doesn't want our world to influence this one too much. I'm sure the Navigators were bad enough, and we might not be any better if we're just let run all over. We understand our own weaknesses. But there are Adventurers here who want to kill the both of you because you won't let us go home, having brought us here against our wills.

"At the same time, there are Earth people who would love to come here who you completely missed. If the door were two way, that exchange could occur. Just as we have laws to keep the peace and maintain order here, we have them there. We can come to an agreement of what would be acceptable rules to both sides for commerce between the worlds and only those who can live them would be allowed to come here from Earth."

Shiroe tipped his head. Inari-no-Izanami wasn't willing to speak just yet. "Of course, further negotiations are possible. If you really want only those who will stay and play nicely, a single exchange would be acceptable. The only problem I see with the single transfer option is that those who would like to come and play with you and then go home to be with their families are the most likely to be the ones who love whatever game play you want to present.

"Those who want to stay to live want to focus on living, not game play, though for rest and relaxation the dungeons and zones, or maybe a special here and there, are sufficient. It's a very robust world, even at this stage, so has captured our attention. We are enjoying the challenge of the corporate special event. That's got the whole city involved and a lot of thought challenge to it."

He wrinkled his nose. "I personally am not fond of the political one, but I'm willing to follow through on it to get things stable." He blinked at Purrcy. "Did you know that the second most popular games on Earth are world building and civilization games? I'm not sure you want that much interference, but if it were two way you could also get some of the people who really enjoy that to come too, if you added some specific challenges of those sorts in.

"Like expansion of a single farm into a village kind of thing. If you go too big - like the one you have me playing - with just anyone, you're back to power hungry power gamers who will take over the world from the People of the Land, so setting in-game limits there would be important." Shiroe looked at the moon. Time was running a bit tight. "Well. Think about it. I'm sure a compromise can be worked out between the two of you and then with us."

He rose to his feet and dusted off. "Let me know when you've finished the spell that will purify and put to rest all the little ones. The others will play with you tonight if you at least give us that one, though they really are done. We'll not play this sort again with you. It's too shallow and simplistic. I'm afraid our programmers didn't give you much to work with in that expansion. Perhaps in the future we can work with you on requests for special events that we would enjoy."

He looked back sharply at Purrcy. "And just adding in higher quantities of enemies doesn't work for us. It just wastes more time that we would rather use on more real problems of value to us." When Purrcy blinked, he nodded and walked off to pace his anxiety and fear away. He was quite sure he had it right, though it was a rather large gamble. There was a lot riding on this one. He hoped he'd played it right - for everyone's sake.

He paused and lifted his head to the sky and took a deep breath and let it out slowly, relaxing as best he could. Even if the two parts of the world would have to take time to decide if they'd start working together finally, the other half of what he wanted was going to happen anyway. He just hoped it didn't set off a world vs. Adventurer war before they were ready for it.

For all he'd been blustering that Inari was a child...it was still an unemotional world bent on fulfilling its own purposes and programming. It would crush them like dry burnt charcoal into ashes if it decided - on either side - that they were more trouble than they were worth.

-:-:-:-:-

Five minutes before midnight, Shiroe walked back up to the group at the campfire. He looked at Purrcy. Purrcy rose to her feet and looked back at him soberly. "The spell is ready. I will cast it when you give the order. If you wish to cast it for the second level, there will be a ten minute delay. That will be the limit." Shiroe nodded his understanding and desire for it to happen.

Purrcy tipped her head. "If you complete this challenge, including the one you've set for yourself of removing the Navigators, you will win the right to receive a quest. If that quest is completed successfully, you may have access to the Navigator's technology. It will not be active or usable for you, however, until we negotiate again."

Shiroe's eyebrow raised on its own volition. That was far better than he could have hoped for. "It is acceptable, if we may have the option of making the removal of the Navigators not dependent on tonight's activities, but have it be a general quest in its own right. Similar to being the prior mini-quest before the full quest is given."

There was an uptick of Purrcy's whiskers. "It is acceptable." Internally he slumped in relief. He'd scored a brownie point. He wasn't sure why this game bot liked mini-quests, but it did. They were as tiring as the low level Harvesters, as far as Shiroe was concerned.

He hoped Michael and his men could finish off the Navigators in this one go, but he'd promised, if he could, to give them a window just in case it didn't work. He would rather have the leeway himself as well. It was their first time to work inside the code realm to this level of event, and in new ways. Shiroe couldn't even direct that one.

He'd told Michael that in no uncertain terms was he to take his revenge at this time. That would permanently damage their ability to get home. Inari would erase the Navigator's technology before letting them get to it.

"Heads up everyone," came from Isaac. He was running the overall campaign.

"Shiroe. Ready here," Shiroe sent back.

"Do we get our wish, Strategist?" was grumbled at him.

"Yes. Play nice," he answered back, "and make sure we win. Home is riding on this one."

"...Right then," came back a startled, rather pleased response. "Let's do this everyone then, shall we? Remember, this is the higan - the night to make sure the ancestors and ghosts of the past are released from their suffering. Focus on purification and release to the upper planes. We're all priests and shrine maidens performing the chinkon tonight."

The rest of the team leaders called in. Shiroe looked up at the moon and in that breath, the hill was covered in ghostly white forms and dark figures. "Purrcy, cast the first spell in one minute," he ordered. "Everyone else, hold them off just that long, then get ready to fight the next level up. You'll have to hold them off for ten before the cool down is up. Then we'll be on our own from there."

"Roger."

Shiroe turned to Purrcy, off chat, and said, "By the way, I do expect you to cast spells for me as if you really were Purrcy. I need her in my party after all."

Purrcy blinked, then shrugged and gave a nod. "I like to play, too," came the answer.

"Good," Shiroe said. Twenty seconds later the sound of a great bow being plucked resounded over the city of Akiba and the zone Shiroe's group was in, and all the mini demons and ghosts disappeared into bubbles that rose into the sky.

"Well. That worked nicely," came from Ains.

"You said the next one is in ten minutes?" Isaac asked.

"Yes," Shiroe answered. He was already giving the forces on the hill instructions for what was coming next.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael was waiting for Stiletto, Bowie, and BlackJack when they arrived outside the gravity well and at the edge of the moon in the code realm. "This is so surreal," BlackJack said. "How is this even possible? That in this form we can leave our bodies, leave the planet, go through space, still not die, and be on the moon? I mean it's just crazy."

Michael shrugged. "And become tiny or huge and change speeds to super ridiculous increments. Because it's an unfinished world, I guess. There are laws in place but not everything is set yet. Magic works and so does physics at some level - but a lot lower one. The boundary is very fuzzy." His three special operatives could only nod. "So, what's the word?"

Stiletto gave him a thumbs up. BlackJack added, "He's got approval for getting to the data, but first we win this at both ends and get a quest. Complete the quest we get the data. Decide the data's worthwhile and usable and we negotiate again before it's activated."

"That's a far cry better than where we were," Michael answered.

"Are we looking at three or four waves?" Bowie asked. "He's got approval to waste the first two, though they'll have to fight the second for a while - a ten minute cool down."

Michael shook his head. "I can't tell and it isn't going to be as easy as just setting det cord on them all." He flew them up to look down on the lines the overwritten monsters were waiting to head down.

"Hmm, kind of piled up aren't they?"

"Yeah. Rather surprising actually. Since we each have one line and only one line, I'd have thought they would too, but it seems that they set it up for batch work when it comes to the monsters. Rather sloppy, but quick and dirty I suppose."

Stiletto was looking at the lines closely. "So it's not really going to work to have them go off as they pass...we'll have to set them off on purpose?"

"Well...take a look at the main boss." They looked at the last monster cued up in the line.

Bowie narrowed his eyes. "That flare...would it be enough?"

"That's what I was wondering. If he goes down last, and those others aren't for when he's down to twenty percent, we might be able to get the blasts to go off in series."

They all turned and looked at BlackJack. Det cord and small essential blasts were his specialty. After a bit of looking he said, "Let me take Bowie and we'll go in and look at it up close. I'd hazard a guess they won't know we're here on the outside, at least as long as we stay far enough downwind from the boss he doesn't smell us. We'll set it up and let you know when we're out."

Michael nodded. "Here's the newest fox hole," he gave them copies of the code from Purrcy's modifications to Stiletto and Bowie's safe houses. "Be safe and come home."

"Yessir!" They were both gone.

Michael turned to Stiletto. "We've got a special job to do. Come back this way with me." He took Stiletto back towards the planet below. "I'm sorry we're going to have to do this the hard way, but I'd far rather knock on this guy's door than try to crash his house. He's top level enough not even Purrcy's willing to run into one of his traps or set off a doorbell."

When they reached the point Purrcy shifted from the line she had been following on the way up to the main line he'd been following, he shifted them off to that line and looked around very carefully. When he found the (very tiny) warning eye, he whispered a request for contact over it, with just a tiny amount of fingerprint for his own identification, and they waited in the open, though not completely unprotected. That would be stupid.

While they waited, Michael had Stiletto package up his request and the necessary data to go with it in as secure a package as they could get it. He was pretty sure it would get unwrapped easily enough. When the hound came sniffing them out, he gave it the package and told it to go home.

A rather quick response came, though it was still a cautious amount of time within the code realm. "Congratulations on graduating. I find it humorous you're brave enough to stand out in the open."

Michael shrugged, not surprised the man was communicating from a distance again. "You've already seen me, so why not. Besides we have to be up here to get the work done. Can you follow us back up so I can move while we talk?"

"Go for it," was the wry response.

Michael got them going up through the gravity well again on the other path that would take them back to the place they could look at the disk drive the Navigators were on. "As I've said, we've got the go-ahead for the eradication. They've admitted on their own they're all constructs, if sentient, and the Machiavelli's decided they're better off not finding our home - which they're looking for already. We'd like to make sure they don't."

"No problem. What is it you want me to do, though?"

"We need the technology they brought in with them. They call their arrival the 'Match'. We need to know how they got here once the matching was completed and how they're getting the empathions back home. And we can't let any of them survive. We can do it in batches if that helps.

"We're going to break the links at the proper time, but it looks like the bulk of them might make it back up here before the final one goes down. Can you get the doors closed then set off a bug bomb inside? Preferably without killing the Caretaker with them. She doesn't know and may come looking inside since she's that curious. Don't erase the data, just the constructs on both sides."

"Hmm...likely might need the inside data anyway, but yes, I think I can do that. I've got the basic structure already set up from her request before," the master hacker said.

"Great. We'll help however you need us to. If you're bored after that, you're welcome to go hunting the data we need, but we're not allowed to have it - officially - until we complete a quest topside." Michael let that be loaded with meaning.

With humor in the voice, came, "Understood." There was silence for a moment as they arrived at their destination again. Then, "Your companion has very interesting skills. He's not the same one?"

"No," Michael said. "That one's floating around in here as well somewhere. Please don't kill him either. I've also got two others working on getting the lines ready for the finale. I'd like them to come home, too, if it's all the same to you."

There was silence, but it seemed the lighter silence of acquiescence. Then, "Marked. Good luck."

"You, too." The presence of the master hacker was gone. Michael relaxed.

"What's next?" Stiletto asked.

"We wait for him to give us orders," Michael said watching the landscape below. "I'll watch our boys. You keep a watch out for Purrcy or Tetorō and stay in hiding." The flea hiding on his shoulder became a mote of dust that was more like one of his own skin cells - if he had any in this crazy realm of this weird world.

Michael became invisible and moved to his own fox hole to wait for the next set of orders or the battle to start, whichever needed him first.

"Depressing," Stiletto muttered.

"What, that he could see you?" Michael asked.

"Yeah."

"Keep working on it. Once you surpass Purrcy's detections you can work on learning his, but I really don't recommend surprise visits to him."

"Yeah, no. I saw it."

Michael nodded. "Good. We need you to come home in once piece with the rest of us."

"Me, too," Stiletto agreed. "Me, too."

-:-:-:-:-

There was motion in the waiting Overwritten monsters, then with writhing of light, roughly half suddenly flowed in a great river into one of the lines and rushed down towards the planet below. Michael perked up at that. "If it's one line per advance, we might be in luck."

Soon after the light from the river of monsters had faded, there was another brief sharp flash of light, as if a butchers blade had caught a reflection as it headed for the block. Michael nodded. One line down. He monitored the movement of the remaining monsters closely. They didn't need a surprise visit from the monsters, though the chances were slim they could even get outside.

Shortly thereafter the second wave rushed down the next line over. That took most of the remaining monsters waiting in line. Again came the flash of the cutting of that line. This time the remaining monsters took up positions in front of the openings to the lines - including the two that had been cut.

Michael send a brief message on the sub-guild chat. "Back off the two cut lines. They think they're coming down them." He prepared several spells for their own coming battle. If they came down and were let loose up here....

-:-:-:-:-

The second wave was a large number of mid-level yokai. It made for a gruesome spectacle. "Parade of Yokai," came grumbling from the D.D.D. contingent, but everyone still stepped up and joined the slaughter.

This was one of the reasons they'd come to detest the arrival of another special event. The monsters were merely fodder for the meat grinder and they had two forms minimum. The Overwritten form and then the monster form. This round would have three.

The only benefit would be that those who were still mid level party members would gain plenty of experience points. All the high level Adventurers wouldn't. The monsters were tough, but still low enough level to not boost experience. Another thing they found dull.

They'd set up each party mixed level with the goal being the highest levels would either take the most damage as the mid levels wore the monster down, or the high levels would quickly take it down to low levels of HP and the mid levels would finish them off for the best EXP gain. It was grinding for the city as a whole, but out of necessity not by choice.

The ten minute gap allowed a fair number of mid levels to gain sufficient EXP that it could be considered worth the time to warm up. Then, with another deep twang of a bow string that reverberated through the air over Akiba, the remaining mid level monsters disappeared into floating bubbles. The Adventurers paused for just the brief breaths they were allowed then looked up into the sky as the next level of enemy appeared.

Four large specters appeared. Two over the city and two over the hill. They had long flowing black hair, dresses that flowed in the air of their own miasma force, and the shape of women in pain or sorrow. "Ruquinjé," Shiroe breathed. "Where are the other two?"

"Other two! I think this is enough, Shiroe! Have you looked at their stats?" Isaac was not calm. "What are they and how do we fight them?"

"They're the cursed spirits of the six Alv princesses. Expect curse stats and magic attacks at a minimum. Keep holding to purification. It's likely our best bet."

"You got it," the response was grim. "Is this the main boss?"

"No idea. Assume it's not." He only got a groan back. The first attack was on its way.

-:-:-:-:-

"BlackJack, did they give you any hints on what to do? What to expect?" Michael asked quickly as the two lights came down the cut lines.

"Gareth said it's like the Day of the Dead."

"Great. Halloween. Just what we need. And we don't have Chappie to be our priest. Any of you have weapons that deal purification damage?" Michael asked.

Silence met him. They all were thinking hard at this point. If the two coming down the lines for them were expected to be defeated as well for a win, they had to do something.

"Intent."

"Gift swords."

"Why?"

"No damage to flesh, intend internal purification damage, bonuses to Assassins."

"Nice."

The lights were reaching their end of the lines. BlackJack's cut spell went off on both lines above the lights, trapping the enemy in the lines where they could get to them. The four of them attacked - two on one - slicing through the lines and the lights over and over again.

The HP on the enemies was down to two-thirds when the lights began to glow red and bleed out of the lines into the code realm. Immediately Michael and Stiletto pulled off theirs and attacked with the other two until that one was down to half HP. Then they all had to fall back and regroup. The Ruquinjé had appeared fully in the code realm and the first spell went off.

BlackJack wasn't quite as fast as the other three and got clipped at the edge of the sphere of area attack. Then it looked like he was swimming in molasses and was slowly filling with a black miasma of poison, only it wasn't quite that. "Agh! It's turning him into a monster and then we'll have three to fight," Stiletto cried.

Bowie was already casting Spirit Purification on BlackJack as Michael grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the enemies. As the purification spell took effect and BlackJack's stats went back to normal, he panted, "Boy, am I glad you took Druid instead of Cleric today."

Bowie nodded and readied another spell. That would have been the best one to use against the Ruquinjé, but they'd have to wait for the cool down now. They'd rather have kept BlackJack. He readied one of his own spells.

"You've got something that will work?" Michael asked him.

"Intent." BlackJack was grim.

"Fair enough," Michael answered. "I'll move into their range again and see if we can draw the same spell from the other, then we'll know our pacing for that spell. When I'm back out, Stiletto you dive through and pull the next spell. We'll alternate until we've got the pattern. BlackJack you keep at them as best you can from out here."

With nods, Michael was off again, headed towards their enemies. He got a good hit in as he passed the weakest one and managed to be out of the range in time. They continued to irritate the monsters until they'd learned each attack and the cool-down for them.

One of the reasons the Eagles managed to defeat bosses so much higher in level was because they only ever engaged high level bosses with minimal numbers and the rest appeared to stay out of engagement range. They were very patient. HP was HP and you whittled it down the same way whether fast or slow. If they could work fast, they did. Once the big enemy attacks began, they backed off and took it slow - unless mini monsters were the result, then the game play changed.

So far that hadn't happened, and they really hoped it didn't. They would need a lot more back up if it did. If anything, they were glad there were fewer of them. It looked like the mini-enemies were expected to be them. Most of the few attacks that did manage to hit caused the additional status effect of slowly turning them into the monsters. That was surely not playing out well on the surface.

-:-:-:-:-

"Goddammit!" Ains yelled. "I'm losing more to that miasma now than I've got healers to heal them back up."

"Tell them to use the intent to purify on any other spell they have," Shiroe answered immediately. "Like we taught them for the Plague antidote. And to role play they are Shinto priests while they're doing it. They should be able to rotate through more spells that way."

"Like it," Rieze's calmer voice came through. There was a lot less stress coming from both places after that.

A moment later Shiroe was surprised when every Eagle he was using as a close in attacker suddenly switched weapons to pull out their dress swords. As he turned to ask why, Gareth's voice said in his ear, "Michael's group is fighting the other two on the inside. They're using the gift swords to good effect with intention since they already don't affect the flesh, and only do internal damage."

Shiroe blinked, then nodded. "The next spell will go off in two seconds. Let me see what it looks like." Half the Eagles attacked before the spell went off. The other half after it was over. "Keep at it. It did twenty percent more damage than the other." He left them to their own devices and went back to monitoring the others, but his brain kept moving.

"Whoever's got a bow as a weapon, fall back and equip it. Stay outside the range of spell attacks if you can, at the farthest edge of your own range if you can't. Now, with the same intent - you're all shrine maidens and you've got in your hands the hama yumi and every arrow you send is a hama ya. Don't stop firing unless it's to dodge an attack you're in the range of."

He didn't have a lot of archers; it wasn't a common weapon to use. He watched the damage carefully and it was nice. "You're getting bonuses to the attacks and we're moving a lot faster than I would have thought. Keep it up." He passed the attack strategy on out to the other team leaders.

"Da-aymn," came back from Isaac. "West Wind Brigade's got massive damage. Who's doing that Souji?"

"I've got a few that actually role play shrine maidens and have specialized in bow," Souji answered back.

"Nice," Shiroe said. "Send one over to help Ains, and another one out here to help with these two, if you've got enough to spare."

"Sure," Soujirou answered.

Five minutes later Ains was finally able to calm back down enough to stop swearing - making the rest of them relax since that had been so out of character for him. Five minutes more and the second Ruquinjé that the D.D.D. half of Shiroe's group was working on dropped in HP in a single attack so far Shiroe had to pause a quarter second to recalculate.

"That is nice," he said in appreciation. He shifted three of the archers on that one over to the other that his own guild was working on.

"How're you holding up, Minori?" he asked.

"Fine," she answered back. "We've been rotating with another group from Crescent Moon that has a similar party make up. The ten minute heal up gives us just enough to keep at a steady state."

"Great. Marielle?"

"Naotsugu and I are doing great," she answered back cheerfully. "Using love is working just as well as purification."

Shiroe blinked and gave a half smile. "You're not serious."

"Yes, actually I am," she answered.

Shiroe shook his head. "Well, I can't be surprised. It was anger and hatred that began them. The opposite is love. It should actually have a rather strong effect, I would think. Let me know if you two need to pull out, though."

"Not a problem, Counselor," Naotsugu answered back. "It's helping my attacks, too."

"I had wondered," Shiroe said with a secret smile. He'd seen the sudden burst of increased power from Naotsugu's attacks after a particularly nasty attack had taken everyone inside the circle down by a low number of hit points but had left behind the slow moving cursing that would turn them all into monsters.

That one had been rather nasty. They'd shaken off the pain and kept going before realizing they were cursed and it had taken hasty wide area effect healing to help everyone recover. Marielle's healing spell had been particularly effective. The two love birds would keep themselves protected to the best of their ability.

A sudden increase of damage blipped into his calculations and he scanned for the attack that caused it. He blushed very hard. Akatsuki's attacks were suddenly more effective by half again and he knew she'd heard Naotsugu. If she was using this as an opportunity to declare her love for him...it was rather effective, if very embarrassing.

It was also, suddenly, probably why Soujirou's shrine maidens had been so effective. They all loved him and fought for him in the same way. Shiroe sighed and shook his head, then returned to monitoring the battlefield. They would need to end this soon or there wouldn't be enough left over for whatever boss was on it's way. ...Though he hoped with all his heart there wasn't one. These were bad enough.

-:-:-:-:-

"Michael, what are you doing?"

Michael froze momentarily, then slumped. "You need to ask that?"

"No, it just seemed the appropriate mother-scolding way of letting you know that you're being very obvious all over."

"Well...we're under orders."

"Hmm." He finally had the courage to turn and look at Purrcy. She was looking at the battle scene and Tetorō was hovering behind her. "So I'm to yell at someone else later, while I just let you finish this?"

"Well, yes."

"You can't cut any more lines." Her voice was scary cold and unfeeling, and quite not to be disobeyed.

He chanced it anyway. "Well, I have to. They're not to get to the planet any more."

"You'll prevent the non-Overwritten from getting to the planet as well, and that's not acceptable."

Michael paused at the words and the tone in her voice and considered carefully his orders and what he'd already set into motion. "Okay. We can do that."

Very slowly she relaxed. He decided not to, not yet anyway. Her eyes went to the last remaining light waiting to flow down to the planet below. "Keep doing what you're doing then," she finally said. "Tetorō and I will see what we can do about the last one."

He watched just long enough to see them move to the line the last major boss was waiting to go down, then had to get back into the action on the two they were still working on. It would have been nice if they'd been willing to help here, but if there was something they could do early to the boss, that might be a fair exchange. Six of these things was boss enough. He didn't really want to know what that last one was.

-:-:-:-:-

The Ruquinjé the shrine maiden was on went down in a final flash of a yuma ya - arrow of purification - that made the Ruquinjé glow white through the dark miasma, clearing it and purifying what few cursed party members attacking it were still under the status effect. The now white maiden bowed and disappeared. The shrine maiden immediately fired into the second Ruquinjé and with another arrow and series of blows from the rest of them, it went through the same purified process.

As people finally lowered arms and bows and weapons, the Eagles suddenly all fell in a slump to the ground. Gareth's voice came to Shiroe again. "Mike's still fighting the other two, only four of them against both. We're going in to help."

"Gotcha," Shiroe said wearily. The last boss wouldn't appear until those two were defeated as well, most likely. "If you can give us warning...." He looked around at the rest. Over the city, the last of the four on the planet was finally cleansed and defeated.

To the group as a whole he said, "Get what rest and potions you can. There's two inside the code realm. We won't have a final boss until they're gone as well, if there is one." He took a look at the statuses of the six who had been in the code realm this whole time. "Ah, if anyone's got a high level dual healing spell still available, Tetorō's group could use a good boost."

A few healers arrived and gave a series of smaller boosts until they were back up, but Tetorō was still falling fast. "Someone dedicate to Tetorō, please," Shiroe asked, then leaned against the rock he'd been standing near.

Purrcy must finally have joined the action. He worked on what he was going to say to her and prayed she wasn't writing code to take Michael and his team out. His gamble was that if Tetorō was letting her use him, then she was helping Shiroe rather than trying to prevent him. He looked up at the moon and sighed.

Akatsuki appeared next to him. He blushed and couldn't look at her, but he did reach out his hand. A shy warm hand clasped his and they rested together hand in hand while they waited to see what the outcome of the battle on the moon was.

-:-:-:-:-

Suddenly, a lot more people were present in the code realm around the battle. Michael took a quick look at their stats. "You guys aren't any better off than we are," he commented. "You could have rested a bit first."

"Shut up," Reed said as the first wave hit the two Ruquinjé. "Though you've not done poorly." He disappeared to take his turn. Michael took his turn next, then they both rested through the next wave. In turns of three rounds of attacks, and with an archer on each Ruquinjé the HP was whittled down a lot faster.

"What's with the archers?" Michael asked at their next time together, watching Clocktower take aim again.

At their next reunion, Reed answered, "Shrine maidens and blessed arrows."

Michael mulled that over through the next series of attacks. "Seems to work well enough," he replied on the next set they were together.

"Best attack damage on the field," Reed answered on the next round out. Michael got in his raised eyebrow before they were separated again.

"Michael, slow it down a little," came from Tetorō.

"Eh?" Michael pulled up short from taking his next turn.

"She's still writing the code and it's big, then she's got to place it."

"Set a turn out," Michael ordered. Everyone held their attacks one round. "We'll go one in, one in, archers only, sit out a round. Tetorō let me know if that pattern is slow enough."

"Okay." They started back up and after two rounds of that set Tetorō said, "Have the archers only go on their round." Two rounds of that pattern and he said, "Good. I'll let you know when you can final blow."

"Alright," Michael answered. "Is she up in the nano?"

"Yes."

Michael nodded. Tetorō was monitoring on both levels, then. When they had the Ruquinjé down to five percent of their total HP, Michael pulled everyone off again except the archers who he had fire as if at every other round.

He turned to look at where Purrcy and Tetorō had gone and didn't see them, he looked up towards the enemy, but didn't see them there. A brief flash caught his eye and he looked down.

They were moving down the line. In the distance there was another brief flash, then they were out of sight. "Get ready," he told his men. As soon as the word came from Tetorō he gave the order and everyone went in full force.

Both Ruquinjé went down three attack sets later and the purification of his men was just as important as the fact they finally went down. The Eagles were a bit short on healers, though they'd done their utmost best. "Let's go ladies. We're going to follow the boss in."

Bowie and BlackJack were immediately at the line with their dress swords. "Don't cut the line," Michael ordered BlackJack quickly.

"I heard," he answered shortly, focused. As the flowing river passed him and Bowie, they both attacked. There was no damage to the line, but the hit points on the enemy dropped by a fraction.

The rest of the Eagles flew to attack in the same way. Anything they could take it down by on the way would be that much of an advantage for the people on the ground.

-:-:-:-:-

There was a glow over Akiba. A resultant groan came over the general chat line and from people rising to their feet again, then Tetorō's voice: "The purification is nearly complete."

"Distance purification attacks first, as many as possible. If you can get any bonuses in the first round...." Shiroe was hoping for the miracle, and would have been surprised if he was the only one.

The closest Adventurers didn't wait to even see what it was, though in the night darkness it wasn't easy to see anyway. It was mostly a black mass surrounded by miasma again. The glow of magic attacks did little to define it.

Then a glowing white arrow streaked up and struck the creature and it cried out in pain and anger. Another glow followed in rapid succession and it began an attack. "Wide area! Watch out!" Shiroe was sure people were fleeing the range of the attack if they could.

Then a much larger glow came from both the city and from his own party. Simultaneously they were launched from either side. Shiroe looked and saw Marielle standing next to the shrine maiden they'd been loaned. An arrow had been launched but the light arrow was much larger.

The two large arrows of light, surrounding the smaller arrows, flew through the air and struck their target at the same time. There was a blinding flash and the space around the city glowed as if it was mid day.

Inside that glow, instead of a dark hideous creature was now a man in white robes and a gold sash. With a beatific smile he faded into bubbles and the light emanating from him washed over the entire battlefield then disappeared.

In the blindness that followed, Shiroe heard, "That's all?" That person was attacked about the head soundly.

"I feel better," Akatsuki said from next to Shiroe.

Shiroe considered that. "I do too." He looked up the statuses of everyone. "Apparently that last was a blessing. We're all restored to full health."

"So...what happened?" Isaac asked.

"Purrcy did something." Shiroe answered. "Let me ask." He turned to Tetorō.

"She wrote a massive purification spell using her Priestess bonus then cast it multiple times on the line the boss was to come down. As it came, it set them off, so it was being purified as it went."

Shiroe approved immensely. He passed that back to the main chat line then asked Marielle what she'd done. "I just couldn't stand seein' Akiba and all my friends getting turned into monsters." The blond elf was wringing her hands at the thought again. "Since love was just as effective, I cast a spell of healing love on the shrine maiden's arrow. It was bigger than I expected but I certainly poured my all into it."

"Thank you, Marie," Shiroe said from the bottom of his heart. "You've certainly shown your love for Akiba today."

"It's about the same over here," Soujirou's voice was next. "I couldn't stand to see all the citizens, and in particular the women, all turned into hideous monsters, so I chose to be the priest for the next hama ya and blessed it. I didn't know if it would work since I'm not a magic user, but it seemed to be sufficient."

"I'm sure all your ladies' love was riding on it as well," Rieze said wryly. Shiroe was inclined to believe that as well.

"Should'a been a Valentines event," Isaac complained, but only half-heartedly. He took a breath. "That's a wrap, then, Master Strategist?"

Shiroe looked at Purrcy. He received a smile and a nod. "I look forward to seeing what you do next." Shiroe nodded and Purrcy slumped to the ground.

As Tetorō bent down to see to her, Shiroe answered Isaac's question. "That's a wrap. Can it and ship it. Everyone can go home."

"Thank God. ...Sorry for my behavior."

"It's okay, Ains. That wasn't a walk in the park. Go sleep it off." Rieze was probably the only one who could help him recover that way.

"What's the drop, Shiroe?" Akaneya asked.

Shiroe paused. "A chance to get us home," he answered. "One of the best possibilities I've seen yet."

"Hope it works." He got good lucks all around. He hoped it would be sufficient, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Kami are divine beings with dual souls (one gentle and the other assertive), and in some Shinto beliefs an additional two hidden souls (one happy and one mysterious). Inari is a kami made up of multiple other kami (also known as Inari sanza (3 kami) or Inari goza (5 kami)), to whom the kitsune fox is an important servant.
> 
> Izanami is the female creation and death goddess that with the male creation god Izanagi created the islands of Japan. In typical Asian mythology (and some Western traditions as well), the female goddess ends up over the darker side of things while the male god ends up the major creator. (Izanagi births the sun, stars, and storms and then a whole host of other kami after leaving Izanami in the underworld.) Thus, Inari is the overall creator kami of Theldesia. Izanagi (m) is the part that is the World AI that is nurturing Theldesia to be a real whole world. Izanami (f) is the Game Bot that is trying to keep the game in play; the world as a game is the goal.
> 
> The reason Purrcy is the Priestess of the game bot, not the World AI?... :) Shiroe has figured it out because the role of the Priestess is to pacify the kami. As beta test subject she pacifies the Game Bot regularly. "You want to be my beta test subject for game play? Great. Just do everything I tell you to do so I can see what happens. If I don't like it, I'll scrub it and we'll try something else." The World AI has its own reasons for owning Purrcy that come out later in the story....
> 
> See Wikis for: Kami, Japanese_mythology, Inari_Ōkami.


	35. World Level Quest Request

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double posting today, for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!

The next morning Purrcy didn't arrive at the dining table for breakfast. A look at Akatsuki got, "...Bathroom."

A look at Tetorō got, "Like I'd be caught dead watching her in the bath." Shiroe blushed and he got a lot of looks for even asking it. He waved a hand in apology and let it go.

When breakfast was cleared and they were ready to sit for the morning guild meeting, Purrcy finally arrived dressed in a traditional kimono, layered with red and black layers. The outside layer was red and decorated with a geometrical white design but overlayered in embroidery was a natural theme of a weathered tree. As she sat in her usual place, Shiroe decided that contrary to his usual pattern he'd better let her go first this time.

It was good he'd decided that since as soon as they made eye contact she began speaking. "Your offering last night was acceptable. I have decided to reward you by making all of Akiba my temple and all Adventurers in it my priests and shrine maidens."

"What outrageous thing is this?" Shiroe was so shocked he didn't realize he'd said it out loud until the eyes he was looking into took on a dangerous and angry light. His hands went up in defense. "Ah, sorry but such a thing would not be considered a reward by most Adventurers. I'm glad to hear you're grateful and want to reward us, but please, can you tell me what the priori was to that decision, Inari-no-Izanagi?"

"In your battle of the night preceding, purified psyche and anima was returned to be used in the creation of new creatures. This is an acceptable offering to me."

Shiroe chewed on that for a moment, then said, "It is an unexpected answer to the difficulty of too many warped creatures being born."

"Yes," Inari-no-Izanagi answered. "It was an acceptable offering, however it was insufficient. Further offerings are required."

Shiroe raised a hand. "I can understand that, however if all Adventurers of Akiba purify every monster they attack, what will reincarnate in the dungeons and zones we need to harvest item drops from? If it is creatures that aren't monsters, then how will that help us? Indeed, it will harm us until we become weak enough to be overtaken by the People of the Land. That will only anger the Adventurers more.

"Instead, let me call one who can be tasked with such a thing immediately, and let us come to an agreement on a quest that can be offered to the Adventurers to purify further anima and psyche without making everything they attack purified, only for that quest." Receiving permission, Shiroe immediately contacted Marielle. "Marie, is Yuudai still agreeable to becoming a Shinto priest?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah, I think so. He's not sure what to do as one, though." He'd interrupted something Marielle was doing.

"Can you send him right away? I've got a god visiting right now who needs one from the Adventurers," Shiroe said.

"...Seriously?"

"Yes."

"Right. I'm on it. ...Ah, if Majiyo wants to come too, is that okay?" Marielle asked.

"As long as she's willing to be a shrine maiden or a priestess, sure."

" 'Kay. They'll be along." It was nice that Marielle didn't ask questions.

By the time the pair from Crescent Moon League arrived, Shiroe had worked out a quest agreeable to both him and Inari-no-Izanagi. "Inari-no-Izanagi, this is Yuudai of Crescent Moon League, sister guild to Log Horizon. He has the sub-class Witch and has been working to turn that into the role of Shinto Priest.

"If you will grant him the ability to bless weapons and turn them into weapons that purify when used, then we'll be able to more easily control when we purify and when we allow a creature to remain. When we put forward the quest request, he can bless those weapons chosen that will be used by the Adventurers who participate in the quest. With that many Adventurers holding even one blessed weapon, over time you will see the total amount of purified psyche and anima rise to an amount you are pleased with."

Purrcy turned to Yuudai, who bowed properly. "You are willing?" she asked the younger boy.

"Yes," he answered simply. Purrcy raised a hand and Yuudai glowed slightly. Yuudai looked at his status screen, then bowed again. "Thank you, Inari-no-Izanagi." He gestured to Majiyo. "This is Majiyo. She is willing to be your shrine maiden to assist me."

Purrcy looked at the young woman, then held up her hand again. There was a faint glow around Majiyo and a bow and sheaf of arrows appeared in her arms. Majiyo bowed. "Thank you Inari-no-Izanagi."

Purrcy turned away from them and looked at Shiroe again. "All of Log Horizon also should be a house of priests."

Shiroe waved a hand in protest. "Instead also allow us to choose one weapon each to be blessed and if you feel it most appropriate, give us one bonus, but not one that makes us purify everything we touch with a weapon, or turns us into a house of priests. It is enough to be guards and supports for Purrcy, and I must remain neutral, though I am glad we're able to be of help."

"Choose your weapons." Everyone pulled their dress weapon out. It was just simpler to keep everything related to Purrcy and Inari within one item.

Shiroe considered what he would choose, not having any weapons, then pulled out a pin that already had a bonus against undead and set it on the table in front of him. He was a bit surprised when not only did his pin receive an upgrade so that he would have bonuses for purification, a scroll also appeared.

Unrolling it, it was a learnable spell of purification. Given that as an Enchanter he typically cast status effects, this was perfect. "Thank you very much," he bowed from his seat and the rest of the guild followed suit. "We'll set up the quest within the next few days.

"It is acceptable." There was a subtle change and Purrcy slowly slumped. Then with a low cry she melted into a puddle of cat, the kimonos collapsing on top of her.

Minori cried out and jumped up to run around the table. "Hang on, Purrcy!" Tetorō cried out, pulling out his wand. "I'm coming." Between the two of them, they managed to get her hit points and magic points back up but she still wasn't stirring.

"Perhaps I can help?" a timid voice asked. Shiroe raised an eyebrow at Majiyo. "I'm a Druid. Perhaps my Spirit Revive spell would work?" Shiroe nodded his permission. The other two moved aside to let her work. Purrcy stirred when the spell was done, then whimpered.

Tetorō scooped her up quickly in his arms and held her close under his chin. He spoke quiet words of consolation as he pet her. "We need a Druid in house, I think," Michael said dryly. "She keeps being more spirit than physical being."

"I am one," Bowie said testily.

"Do you know that spell?" Michael asked him back.

Bowie flushed slightly. "Yes."

Michael rolled his eyes at Reed. "You're assigned to follow Majiyo around until you learn how to properly be a Druid, then," Reed said firmly. "And so are Brenner and Life Support who are our other Druids."

"Yessir...and do we also get to be called shrine maidens?" There was general muffled laughter.

"No," Majiyo said with a bit of a blush, "but you'd probably get called priests eventually."

"I'm already called that," Brenner said kindly to her.

"That'd be a first for Bowie, though," BlackJack smirked.

Gareth raised a hand. "Even though I'm not a Druid, can I tag along?"

Michael gave a brief shrug, looking at Shiroe. Shiroe shrugged back. "Yes," Reed answered, "but don't let it overwhelm your other responsibilities."

Purrcy was finally rubbing Tetorō's chin with her head. Shiroe decided she must be feeling better. "Thank you for coming Yuudai, Majiyo. Sorry it was so sudden. I wasn't quite expecting such a visit first thing this morning," Shiroe said.

"That's fine," Yuudai said calmly. "I've been wondering how to move forward. This is as good as anything. May I ask what the quest is?"

"We still haven't taken out the Goblin King, preferring to keep him in power so that we only have to keep his minions in check. The purification of the psyche and anima of all the demihumans like the goblins is what the World AI - Inari-no-Izanagi - has been wanting from us, though last night was the first time we found a solution.

"Taking blessed swords to that battle will take out the goblins fought against for good, so it's time to move against the Goblin King. The World AI has promised that the drop from the Goblin King will be a high ranking blessed weapon that can also be used to purify. While that will only interest a sub-set of Adventurers, it gets the World AI another champion to help purify the psyche that went corrupt at the time of the First World Fraction.

"The quest also has another bonus for Adventurers." He smiled at Yuudai. "Cursed weapons, if you bless them, will receive step-wise purification themselves for each enemy killed and purified. We have enough weapons we can't use now because of the cursed flavor text, I'm hopeful we'll get a good draw just on that point alone."

Yuudai's eyes had widened. "I would think so," he said, quite in agreement. He bowed and Majiyo bowed with him. "We'll return to Crescent Moon now. Thank you for thinking of us."

"Thank you for being willing take on the task," Shiroe said, meaning it. He really hadn't wanted to become the priest and Nyanta wasn't back yet to take it - though he wasn't likely to want to. When the door closed behind the pair, he turned back to look at Purrcy and Tetorō. "That's your first time to host the World AI so fully."

Purrcy nodded. "Rather overwhelming, actually. I'm sorry to miss breakfast but I was performing the purification ritual so I could host it." Her nose wrinkled. "A part of the non-game game I dislike, actually. I'm not sure there was any point to it other than 'we're supposed to do it, so we'll do it'. All it did was ensure I'd be hungry, near as I can tell."

"I'll go get you something right away, Purrcy," Minori jumped up.

"Thank you, dear," Purrcy said gratefully. "Not too much. Light fruits and a single piece of bread, I think. My system is still not quite settled."

"Okay," Minori nodded. "And a light tea, then." Purrcy sighed in gratitude and purred as Minori trotted off to the kitchen.

"I think," Tetorō said slowly, "that the ritual helped your local anima handle the higher speeds of the World AI. Remember you told us it mostly works in the nano and pico levels?" Purrcy nodded. "You're still vibrating at those levels - that is your cells are. Maybe that's why the Spirit Revive worked better on you. If spirit spells work on higher energy levels and your cells were working at those levels then the lower energy level spells wouldn't have had as much an effect."

Purrcy's ears turned. "It has merit," she finally agreed. "I wouldn't have known of the energetic cellular change as it happened, I suppose." She blinked, then looked at Shiroe. "So...what the hell were you doing last night that nearly got the entire guild blasted?"

Shiroe took a breath. "Walking a fine line and we've come out on the better side of it." He explained everything from his side, leaving out the part where they were working to eradicate all of the Navigators, keeping it only to the battle of that night.

He then motioned to Michael who told his story, also leaving out that objective. When Michael reached the point of being confronted by Purrcy, Shiroe felt his blood leave his head, understanding why Purrcy had worded her complaint that way. They had indeed walked almost off the edge.

Shiroe was disappointed they weren't going to be allowed to prevent the Harvesters from coming down at all, but couldn't be surprised that the Game Bot didn't want to have its accessway to putting more monsters down on the planet for further game play interrupted or taken away altogether. "How did everything else go?" Shiroe asked Michael.

Michael gave him a thumbs up. "Just great," he answered. Shiroe nodded. That meant the negotiations to eradicate the Navigators had gone well.

"We'll practice a bit more now and again what Purrcy taught us in the inner layers until we understand how to work in those levels. We're back to level one in comparison to the others who already play in them. It looks like fun." By the roll of eyes, it was the opposite really of fun.

Shiroe nodded and moved the topic of the meeting on to what the others had done the day and night before. Purrcy's report was as long as always and the notes she and Tetorō passed on from their investigations on the moon interested Michael the most, given he had been there.

Shiroe was, for himself, glad they'd finally reached that point. It had been the hardest thing, not being able to get to where they needed to be to get home, unless it was very temporarily through death.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy wasn't in a hurry to do anything in particular that day. Tetorō knew that she preferred to be outside, but he wasn't comfortable sitting in Nyanta's lounge chair on the patio.

He took her up on the roof instead and sat in his own chair there, settling it in a place protected from the fall breeze and as much in the sun as possible. He was ready to just sit this day as well. "No programming and spell casting," he said sternly to her as he settled the cat in his lap.

She shook her head. "Not today, I would think," she answered back, "just cat napping. Calasin will wait until tomorrow."

"Just so," he agreed firmly and set to stroking her soft fur in long slow strokes to settle them both.

He was woken some number of hours later by a large warm hand shaking his shoulder. "Tetorō. Tetorō."

It was said quietly so he stayed quiet himself once he was awake enough to be aware of his surroundings again. "Mm?"

He pried his eyes open to see Michael looking down at him. "Boss wants to talk to you. I'll take over for a bit."

"He didn't call?"

"He did," Michael smiled at him teasingly, "but you've been caught in the cat-nap-trap so he sent me up." Tetorō stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "You'll probably have to come rescue me when you're done with him."

Tetorō nodded and carefully scooped up the loose pile of sleeping cat in his lap. Her body wanted to melt out of his hands so it was a bit of a juggling act to get the transfer to happen properly. Michael's bigger hands helped, but even still, she was a warm soft melty sort of creature, like a sun-warmed toffee-chip chocolate bar.

"First time for real sleep for her in a while, I think," Tetorō murmured as Michael sat down and settled her in his lap. Tetorō scratched his head, trying to finish coming awake.

"They're leaving her alone today?" Michael asked quietly.

Tetorō shrugged. "Seems like it. She said she was pretty much taking the day off and it's looked like it's held so far."

"That's good," Michael said. "He's waiting for you."

"Right." Tetorō got moving. He had a quick stop to make on the way down.

-:-:-:-:-

A finger lazily stroked the pad side of Purrcy's front left paw and it just as lazily curled as if to capture the finger and hold on to it. It made her come to awareness slowly, her ears flicking now and again. When she finally recognized the scent, her whiskers stiffened and her ears went back.

The hand switched to pet her from the top of her head down her back. "Hey, now. It's just my turn to watch over you. Guildmaster called for Tetorō and sent me up."

"I'm not supposed to sleep with you," she explained.

Michael laughed. "This hardly counts, I think. You're a cat, it isn't night, and it isn't my room or my hammock. Besides, you're as chaperoned as ever."

"By your own loyals," she quipped finally cracking an eye to look at him, her whiskers twitching back.

Michael sighed a little, "Besides, you're not supposed to sleep with Tetorō either, and you just had a long nap of this same sort with him." Purrcy had to give him that, and did with an apologetic fold of an ear.

After a bit he said, "You know, I haven't gotten to do this since I held the little body that wasn't alive, for all you were possessing it. It feels good to know you're warm and breathing this time."

Purrcy sighed, closing her eye again, and relaxed. "You're an awfully sentimental guy, you know that?"

His reply was noncommittal. "Sometimes." Her ear and tail twitched in response.

She knew she wasn't safe, but she couldn't bring herself to care today. She wondered if he'd be able to prevent himself from whatever it was he wanted to do - kill her, steal her off somewhere, or whatever it was that made the hand on her back tense and pause his petting of her.

She felt a little bit of a let down when she remembered he couldn't kill her. It was enough of a depressing thought she chose to fall back to sleep. "Michael...."

"Hmmm?"

"If you ever get the opportunity to really kill me, ...make sure you do it right. ...Promise."

The paused hand stroked her again. "...Such outrageous demands from m'lady." But the fingers in her fur promised it all the same and she felt better and finished falling asleep.

-:-:-:-:-

A communication request came in with one of the high priority fingerprints on it. Purrcy was immediately awake inside the code realm and an ear and paw twitched outside it and her collar lit up. She immediately opened up a communication line that bent and turned and bounced off repeaters inside the code realm until the visual and auditory was up. "I'm here," she whispered.

There was an intake of breath, almost a sob. "It's a dead end." The visual did show darkness.

"No," she said calmingly. "I expected a closed door and a window might be difficult. Walk me through it."

"She was able to recombine and slipped out the other side. I followed after until it tunneled. I set a security line at that point and I've been belaying since then, but this is as far as it goes."

A faint light, like an Electrical Fuzz, lit up and drifted towards what looked like a cave wall until it hovered over a cocoon of darkness that was pressed up against the wall. "That's her, but there's nothing else here."

Purrcy sent a special investigative spell to that location and inspected Indicus first to make sure she was okay. Her assistant noted its presence and watched it. "It looks like she's unconscious or in stasis, and psyche but not anima, so she'll be okay indefinitely here most likely. One small consolation, I suppose.

"It proves we've left the bodies behind. Hang on a bit. I'm going to see if there's more to this location at the higher levels." She transferred herself up to the micro layer, then read the data from her investigative spell there, inspecting both Indicus and the environment. She went up to the nano level and repeated her investigation, then called the data down from the next level up and translated it, slowing it down so she could read it.

When she was done, she dropped back down to the first level again. "It looks like it's the entrance to a wormhole. We're not going to get a window from this location. There's the equivalent of a blast door on it, sealed tightly shut. I suspect if it opens we'll all be jettisoned. It's meant to be one way and full batch. There are tunnels coming from all the servers, like ordinance tubes."

She sighed. "Thank you very much for finding this for us. Knowing this much lets us know we perhaps aren't meant to be here permanently and how we're going home when they're ready for it." She sent over one of her code hugs, he was still looking so dejected, though it was just one of his echos.

"The Master Strategist is still working on it. We haven't given up yet. This may be the way they plan on sending us home, but that doesn't mean there aren't other alternatives. And I'm doing my best to get us home sooner than later." She started purring.

"We have a good team. We've recently discovered one of the keys. Pass it on to as many as you can. At the First World Fraction too much chaotic anima and psyche entered this world. To correct it, use blessed weapons of purification on the demihumans that respawn too quickly. They'll be turned into useful matter and the monsters won't come back. The more of that happens quickly the better, but don't take out the useful drop dungeons, just the mass yearly specials."

After a bit of quick work she deposited an information cube in front of the echo she was talking to. "Here's a copy of what we did in the battle we discovered it's effectiveness in as well as the details of the quest request. I'm putting another copy in my information spot. Sadly, it may not be the only world level quest we have to do to get home, though it would be nice if it was. In the meantime, I'm helping the Master Strategist as best I can to find a quicker solution. Hang in there. If you need encouragement, get in touch with me again."

"Okay. ...Are you going to ever get over to the States?"

"Mm...I might. It's one of the options. Shall I come look you up?" There was a sigh. "Well...here's another hug. I'll ping you if we make it over. You can decide then."

"Thanks."

"Thank you. Is there anything I can give you for your heroic efforts?" Purrcy offered.

A pause of silence, then, "I'll think about it and let you know. Getting us home as fast as possible would be my favorite but I know better than to turn it down altogether. ...It's only been just over two months, after all, back there."

"Alright," her humor colored her voice, "the promise of a future reward. Always the most dicey and yet greatest potential reward."

"Yeah. That's fine." He still sounded down, but like he would recover.

As his echo and his line began to fade from the end of the delivery tunnel, along with her data packet, Purrcy attached a data line to her information spell and closed her connection to that space. With a sigh and a shake of her head, she returned to the base realm. She needed to report.

-:-:-:-:-

Bleary eyes struggled to see. A large warm hand brushed the side of the cat's head and a thumb rubbed behind the ear on that side to massage the head. "Did you learn something?" The cat nodded and tried to rise.

With a sigh the man scooped up the cat and rose to his feet. "Guildmaster, sorry to interrupt. Purrcy needs to report. Her collar went off twenty shades of neon rather suddenly and she's coming back out." He talked as he headed for the door to the inside of the guild hall, his hand still unconsciously petting her.

"My one opportunity to just sit and doze with the cat and I have to win the interruption lottery," he grumbled to himself.

"So sorry," Purrcy said dryly. "When the toaster pops I don't get much choice, you know. Got to take them when they happen. At least it wasn't at the end of a morning meeting this time."

"That's been a more convenient time," Michael continued his complaining on down the stairs.

"I suppose," she burrowed into his arm. "I'm sure I wasn't ready to wake up yet, either, and if we're lucky we can just go back to sleep."

"Hmphf." He didn't relent until they were to the last flight of stairs, then he finally relaxed and sighed. "Well, I hope we can be so lucky." He got to the main floor. "Are you awake enough?"

"Yeah." She landed on her feet as he set her down, then grew to full panther and padded beside him. He wasn't going to miss the report. He wanted to know what the interruption had been. He checked the collar but it was back down to proper low levels again. Whatever it had been hadn't required further work on her part.

He put his hand on her head as they reached the door. She looked up at him, but he just opened the door for them, letting her go first and closed it behind them.

Tetorō, Naotsugu, Akatsuki, and Shiroe were already all in the office. Shiroe was sitting at his desk and the rest were in their chairs around the room. Michael decided to just lean against the door frame, his arms folded. Purrcy padded over to Shiroe, who turned in his chair to look at her. She bumped his arm with her head, demanding a pat. Shiroe paid with petting her a couple of times, then asked, "So, what went off?"

Purrcy sighed and sat. "Indicus." Everyone was all ears, their attention focused on the galaxy cat. "It's a one-way wormhole currently blockaded by a blast door. We're psyche only here. The bodies got left behind on Earth. She's in stasis until we either retrieve her back or we're all sent home together. The combining worked and got her started on the return home...until she hit the closed door.

"Since it's a wormhole, we can't get a window. If we blow a hole for a door, we might blow the whole thing wide open and we'll all get sucked back. I'd call that an emergency evacuation procedure only if we end up really desperate. We're better off fixing whatever needs fixing as fast as possible so we can all go home properly that way, instead of whatever painful way the alternative would be. Sorry it isn't better news."

Michael's eyes narrowed. "Is that an answer we can trust?"

Purrcy looked over her shoulder at him. "As far as I understand, yes." But it was Shiroe's faint nod that convinced him.

"Will it automatically send us all back, or will those like the Plague Master and Nureha be left behind?" Shiroe asked.

Purrcy rubbed her face with her foreleg. "I can't tell from there. I can try going through the data path, but it probably won't tell me either. If you ask nicely, the Superuser might tell you. ...My guess would be that it will depend on the Adventurer tag and they'd stay here if not retagged before we left. Right now, the world owns them, so will probably keep them."

"And you?" Shiroe asked.

Purrcy put her foot down and looked him in the eye. Eventually a whisker set twitched upward. "It would get to keep the Summon, I suppose. I have no idea how much of _me_ would go home and how much would stay here."

Shiroe folded his arms. "It isn't acceptable for us to be sent home until you're completely marked as only an Adventurer, Purrcy, if that's our only way of getting there."

Purrcy shrugged. "If last boarding call is sounded before then, don't hold the ship on account of just me, Shiroe. Too many need to get home. You won't ever know anyway. I'm on the other side of the planet and --"

He chopped her in the head. "I'll worry, even if I don't know, and I'll hunt down someone on that side to go look for you."

Purrcy shook her head. "I'm not findable, Shiroe. Not unless we all get back on to play again after we're home and happen to do that at the same time." She put a paw up on his knee and touched his nose with hers. "Seriously. Sometimes the General, or the King, has to understand that the sacrifice of one is necessary for the good of the all. Don't let it hold you back from making the right decision."

She rubbed his face with her head. "I'm sure we'll continue to do our best to make sure the best solution is found. That's the path we want to walk. But don't let weakness creep in early. You know I'm just as happy to be here, if not more, as there. If I get to live a split life in both places, just let it be. I'll survive. I might not be good at much else, but that I have learned how to do."

She got back off his lap and turned for the door, then looked over her shoulder at him. "Oh, and I let my contact who was working on that project know about the purification quest and how to run it. It's a world wide quest after all. I've also put the same data I gave him in my out box for the rest of them to access. With the whole world of Adventurers working on purifying the worst of the warped materials we might be able to clear that level a little faster. It shortens your own time table a little, though.

"I don't know if there's another world quest that has to be accomplished or not, though the Overwritten probably count." She looked away again, her head drooping. "The only other one I can think of...which I haven't been able to see a way through quite yet...is that I think it wants at least some of us to stay and be genetic material for long-lived future heroes.

"It's still a bit hazy, but it's the only reason I can think of that it pushed both the Plague of Life and has been so intent on experimenting with Nyanta and I." She shrugged and padded towards Michael and the door. Her tail made a long slow wave as she looked into Michael's face.

He looked back at her soberly. When he didn't move, she changed to small house cat and jumped up into his arms and settled down, closing her eyes. Michael settled her a little more so he was comfortable, then looked at Shiroe. "How's she doing?" Shiroe asked quietly.

"Depressed," Michael answered. "But that was before that news arrived. I'd say it wasn't any different from what she expected, actually." Shiroe blinked at him. "We'll prioritize getting the technology. Do you want to bring her in on it?"

Shiroe turned in his chair to face his desk again and sat back, lifting clasped hands to rest his forefingers against his lips. After a bit of thought, he said, "I think she already knows we're working on that. I'd like to see if we can do it without her. She's being used for many other challenges right now. If you need to call her in, do, but you've already got the best in the world working with you. I think that should be sufficient. Dividing her attention any more might make things start crumbling where I don't need them to."

He went silent again, his mind obviously working on his many paths of possibility. "Tetorō, take the gates off her schedule for the indefinite future. We've got enough Technicians and she gave the Hackers a good start when we were there the other day. She'll be busy enough running from place to place as it is."

Shiroe looked at Michael. "I know you're waiting to hear word, but if at all possible, try to have that mini-quest done by the time Nyanta gets back. We'll be leaving Akiba two mornings after he gets back. It would be nice to know how to fit the main quest into the schedule before we go."

Michael stood up on his feet and gave a salute. "Yes, Sir." Shiroe nodded and Michael let himself out of the office, carrying Purrcy with him. He let his feet take them back up to the roof and found a better sun spot to put his chair.

He put his feet up and settled Purrcy in his lap comfortably. With a sigh, he made sure his own warning bells and alerts would wake him up when they went off, then he pet her slowly until he was asleep, knowing that he was going to be nearly as busy as she normally was as soon as they went off.

-:-:-:-:-

That night, after dinner, Michael asked to speak to Shiroe in his office. Shiroe stayed standing to hear him out once they were in the office. When things were buttoned down tightly, Michael immediately stated his business. "I went ahead and contacted the Master Hacker. He says it will likely be months on his end. They're apparently rather intelligent. He doesn't want to be found out too early. If they decide to go hunting him, they might take him out before we reach our objective.

"He did say that Purrcy putting in how we ran that last battle has helped, though. He tacked on a note to everyone else that if they could get in and run their code realm battles the same, they'd help cover his tracks and take out the massive smaller ones just as quickly.

"Likely the Navigators'll have learned from our battle, though, and be looking for similar things in the future. We had it easy, getting to go first. I told him you were still planning on going to China, so he's going to try to set up the net so the final battles can be fought there."

Michael paused. "He's in agreement with your friend over there. The most nasty of the Harvesters have been reserved for China. He doesn't know why either. The second most nasty ones are apparently in the U.S. He'll set that contact on to those, though. The kid there really wants to go home so is highly motivated."

Shiroe nodded. "I thought that might happen. If we can get both world quests completed at the same time, that works for me. ...It does make me wonder what quest they want us to do outside of those, though. Like Purrcy said, I don't see any other required need for Adventurers at the moment, other than general small world building movements that the People of the Land could handle just fine now that we've got them all started."

He rubbed his head, then pushed up the glasses slipping down his nose. "I'm still not convinced we're needed for leaving children behind. I think the world can handle that part on its own just fine, particularly if enough positive building materials are put back into the system."

His shoulders caved in just a little as he leaned back against his desk and stared at the floor in front of his feet. "Really, it isn't all that simple to babysit a world trying to grow up...even with good tools and assistants. It's like trying to ask a toddler where the bandages are when you can't translate what it says and it has never seen a bandaid to tell you where one is anyway."

He looked up at Michael with a wry smile. "I guess it's good the Caretaker knows how to talk to it and can translate for us."

Michael tipped his head. "Do you think that's why she got that title? Not for taking care of the creatures?

Shiroe paused, then shrugged a little. "It's likely, but who knows why it does anything, really, except that it's completely devoted to its own purpose, and half of that purpose is to make this a game. It won't let us know the next level until this one is completed, just like all the others. I'm sure the clues have been presented - she always does give clues along the way - but I haven't been able to pull anything obvious out yet."

Michael furrowed his brow. "You really don't think it's children? That's been a common thread, like she said."

Shiroe looked away. "I think there is a level of experimentation there, but only the game construct anima is here. If that part of us also returns to the world when we go home, strong heroes will be born of that material anyway. At best it would be an experiment to see if human spirits could be born on this world, not just on Earth."

He looked back at Michael. "I suspect the results would be negative. Either they'd be empty husks, or they'd have to be filled with psyche from this world - at least as long as both parents, or even one, had the tag Adventurer.

"If they weren't tagged that way, the result would be a child of the land that might have a chance to have higher stats. They already do, though. That's how the Heroes are already born. So, as far as I'm concerned it's an idle experiment with no purpose. The next quest will be something else."

Michael stood quietly, then shook his head. "Empty husks waiting to be filled...we might have to do that if you want the door to be two-way."

Shiroe looked at him sharply. "Why?"

"Because if this world is finally off-line and floating on its own once we're done here, only our own avatars are here waiting for us. There's the ones on the beta server the Observers use, but that's it. No one new can come unless new bodies are made available here. They'd only be spirits otherwise. ...I suppose those who refuse to come back could somehow let the system know their avatars are up for purchase, but that would be the limit."

Shiroe sat back a bit and thought that one over. "I wonder...." Then his brow went into a deep furrow. "But...then...," he looked back up at Michael, "does that mean Inari has been trying to help me with my own goal?" He looked like he couldn't quite believe that.

Michael shrugged. "If it thinks it's going to get enough avatars for more Adventurers to come just through one female body, it's not thinking very well at all."

Shiroe shook his head. "Cats have four minimum per litter, and gestation is short. They can have two to four litters in a year."

Michael stared at him, then covered his eyes. "Like everyone who comes is going to want to be a felinoid. And like Purrcy would be willing to be pregnant or nursing the year round for years to come."

"Well, you have those points, yes," Shiroe said, "but all Adventurers are feeling it, not just Purrcy. She's just the most affected by it."

Michael blew out a breath and looked away. "It'd be better if it could find another way...or could make them unspecified avatars until a player from Earth selected what they wanted to be. I suppose random weighted to felinoid might work, but most like to pick their race."

Shiroe looked away again, then adjusted his glasses. "I think...I'm going to have to tell Naotsugu when his wedding is going to be."

Michael stared at him. "No way. You'd really make them be the guinea pigs?"

Shiroe wouldn't look at him. "Nyanta won't. Not until he knows for sure he gets to live."

Michael stood silent, then looked away. "Responsible of him." It was dry. He pressed his lips together to prevent anything else from coming out between them.

Shiroe shifted. "There's another problem with that." Michael raised an eyebrow. "In the scheme of world building and Adventurers who apparently live forever - at least for now - we could have several hundred to thousand years to have all the avatar children the world might want, but that puts us at going home a _lot_ longer out than any of us are willing to wait."

Michael could feel his face going dark. "Shiroe," he tried to make it come out not too threatening, "if that's a requirement for making the door go both ways...I think you need to rethink your plan."

Shiroe ran his hand down the front of his face, trying to wipe away the horror of the idea. "I know, I know. The whole thing is conjecture still. I'll work on it. ...But this is the kind I really don't like. I've got to have more real definitive clues. Until I do, the outlook is frightening and bleak." He snorted a chuckle. "...And that's when Purrcy shows up and gives them to me, of late."

He stood. "Not to mention if we decide we will participate in that experiment we'll have to keep it so super secret no one knows about it at all. The fear it will generate in the People of the Land will be astronomical. The random effect it has on the Adventurers won't be much better until things settle down.

"Well, it's the next level down. I guess there is one more. I'm sure we'll get more clues as we go, and I'll take her warning more seriously." Shiroe sighed. "Thanks for the update. If the Master Hacker lets you help that's your priority. Make sure you get as much data from him as possible before we have the final battle."

Michael nodded. "Good luck," he said moving to the door.

"You, too," Shiroe said as he walked around his desk to sit in his chair.

Michael nodded at Akatsuki on his way out, letting her go in. He was rather glad she hadn't been in there to hear that last bit, come to think of it. She and Shiroe were part of that same experiment the World AI was trying to run. Michael was quite sure it wouldn't go over well at all with the short tempered but extremely shy Assassin.

He briefly wondered that the World AI hadn't had Purrcy go to West Wind Brigade instead, then remembered that Nazuna had been just as badly affected as Purrcy had been. He shuddered. Likely that meant the whole guild had been.

It was a wonder they were still together and not shredded in the cat fights that likely had come daily. One male to that many females would be too much for the World AI to resist if it really did want as many births as possible as fast as possible. Michael was glad it wasn't him.

-:-:-:-:-

"Right everyone," Michael had called a sub-guild meeting under the security umbrella he could finally fully put up himself now that he'd graduated up to Programmer, "we've got the inside hacker mole on board, but they're still more than programmed constructs. They're bots too. Likely they'll catch on really fast if we give them too many clues.

"Maintenance detail, you're up. We'll keep an eye on you, but as far as anyone here is concerned you've got the flu and we're nursing you. As far as anyone outside the sub-guild, you're assigned to gate research - which isn't a lie.

"Find out if you can ride without being noticed. Learn everything you can about their technology from their repair bots. Only one unsigned maintenance glitch to learn what you can about their response speed and investigation techniques.

"When you've got what you can get within one month, send one back with the shopping list. We'll work on making the easter eggs down here for the following month, then come visit and hide them wherever you tell us to. We'll take them down all at once when we get the high sign from the mole that we're good to go in China."

He turned to Charlie. "Have you made contact with home yet?"

Charlie nodded. "We're in luck. There's another partial squad in Virginia that got sucked over, the VFA-34 Swordsmen."

"Sweet. Make sure they know when the attack is going to happen. If they can be in place to be a distraction and help us take them out over there that would be marvelous. Tell them there's a Hacker who'll be onsite they should protect and help out. He'll probably be the most kickin' kid present. I'll see if I can get permission to hand over a signature."

"Yessir," Charlie answered.

"That's going to cut us back rather dramatically for Miss Purrcy's comfort level," Reed commented.

Michael shrugged. "So I'm cutting her back to three instead of four. She's still got Tetorō and me. Shiroe's cut her off from directly being on the gates, so I think she'll relent pretty quick if she knows Maintenance has been assigned in her place.

"I also think things are changing come Nyanta's return. Shiroe was in conference with the top brass outside her and my hearing most of the afternoon, but what I did hear said things are going to get really busy very soon. We may be rebuilding the duty roster anyway."

"He's ready to make assignments, you think?" Reed asked.

Michael nodded. Everyone nodded back. They were all ready for the action to start on this level. Reed set nursing watch duties and the meeting broke up. The Maintenance detail would get one more night's good sleep, one more good meal, then they'd be out on their assignment.


	36. Fifth Level: Setting the Positions

"Priest Nyanta, your tea." There was a light clink as dishes were set down on the low table next to Nyanta's soft cushioned chair. It was matched by the light snap of the logs in the fireplace.

"Thank mew, MeowLi," he said, picking up the teacup. The smell of the tea brought back memories of sounds, making his ears flick lightly.

He closed his eyes and smiled at the memories. The twins Touya and Minori bickering slightly as they challenged each other one more time at a task, striving to become stronger together. Isuzu laughing lightly at Rudy. Tetorō teasing Naotsugu, who was very patient but laughed just as much with his own teasing back. Shiroe watching it all with a faint smile on his lips, Akatsuki sitting just close enough to him to feel warm.

When the teacup was empty, Nyanta set it on the table and rose. "MeowLi, I'm going for a walk. Please see to the correspondence for me."

"Yes, Eminence." The grey felinoid bowed him out of the office.

Nyanta walked through the Gate of Time until he reached the outskirts of a small neighborhood. There, he pulled out the hourglass hanging around his neck. He turned it once, waited until all the grains fell and turned it again a second time. When all the grains of sand were down, he turned it a third time.

When the grains were all in the bottom half for this last time, he put the hourglass in his item list, in a secure box of special items, and stepped across the boundary back into Yamato, Theldesia, where time was linear. For one moment, his ear flicked back towards the city, but his gaze never wavered from looking forward.

-:-:-:-:-

"Hey, Chief!" Naotsugu called out as BrownMane came to a halt not too far from where Nyanta was waiting. "You survive okay?"

Nyanta waited until he was mounted on BrownMane to answer. "Somehow, meow. Everything okay at home?"

"Yeah. We had to fight another special event the first night after you were gone, but having the Oracle this time helped. We won't be fighting any more like that again." He sounded just a little grim.

"I'll fill you in on the way home. There will be a full-on guild meeting tomorrow morning. The Councilor's ready to get us all marching. We've just been waiting for you to get back." Nyanta nodded, then sat quietly and listened to Naotsugu recount the events of the last three days.

-:-:-:-:-

"Purrcy, go ahead before me," Nyanta said calmly. He had finished his late dinner with Naotsugu, Purrcy attentively serving the both of them. "I need to report to Shiroe-ichi before coming to bed."

Purrcy bowed slightly. "Yes, Nyanta." She watched them walk into the office.

As the door closed behind them, Naotsugu looked at Nyanta. "I think on Earth you could expect to go to a cold bed that's had your own personal pillow shredded to scraps, given that exchange. What's going on? I thought it was over after this?"

Shiroe's eyebrow raised to hear that first thing. Nyanta ignored Naotsugu, moving to stand in front of Shiroe. "The last village, the second of the felinoids, is the Gate of Time."

Shiroe was on his feet, both hands planted on his desk and Naotsugu even gave an exclamation. "Did you enter it?"

Nyanta looked the young guildmaster in the eye. "I had already stepped into its boundary before I knew what it was, though they gave me a way out before I moved any farther."

"They _wanted_ you inside? ... _And_ to get out?" Shiroe blinked.

"Yes. Not just anyone, either. Li Shou herself, nyan."

Shiroe stood straight and his lips pressed together. A forefinger pushed his glasses up on his face. "Right. Tell it to me. Everything." The light of dawn was in the sky before Nyanta left Shiroe's office.

-:-:-:-:-

The morning meeting was postponed about an hour or so, and Shiroe asked for his breakfast to be brought in to him. Nyanta slept through until he was called for the meeting.

When Shiroe arrived in the common room, everyone was waiting to hear his words. He stopped behind his chair and rested a hand on it. "The goal is to be back from China by the Winter Festival. That means everyone is going to be busy for the next several months, and we'll be dividing to get things done."

The announcement was a bombshell - a complete turn-around from the expected plan. Everyone sat stunned, listening as Shiroe told them how they were going to do that.

He looked at Naotsugu first. "You're going up to Ezzo. You'll go to the port city of Sharpcliff first with Michitaka to negotiate the trunk production and trade, then continue to Susukino to get William on board. When he's set, you'll go on up to the Giant's hometown to assist with the negotiations there. When that's completed you'll meet back up with the main group, wherever we are at the time. Michitaka'll come back here with his people once the manufacturing plant is up and running." Naotsugu nodded.

Shiroe turned to Nyanta. "You'll be going with Tetorō to Minami to solidify the political relationship with the Eastal Lords and Duke Sergiad. Walk the fine line. We're getting the Adventurer's buy-in on this trip, so it's still soft, not a hard line yet. By the time we get the financial backing we should be able to make it open. Before then, they're to understand they come to us to get anything so that when we make it open, the game's already won."

"Yes, Shiroe-ichi," Nyanta tipped his head.

"Michael, I need a sub-group to go with Nyanta as proper guards for the Queen, Consort, and Queen's Guard. Another sub-group will come with me. The rest will stay here until the train from Minami arrives. When it arrives, contact Nyanta. His group is to come immediately to join you at that time. Get the train on board the Ocypete with those who're joining us for the raid and bring the Ocypete around Yamato to Nakasu. Once we're all gathered there, we'll head across the Yamato Sea for China.

"I'll be taking my group down to Ninetails Dominion and Nakasu to act as the neutral negotiator between Plant Hwayden and the Nakasu Defense Front once I've talked to the Minami Ministry. I'm going to ask them to send whichever train is up and running with those willing to help in the raid along with it as soon as possible. Akatsuki, Minori, Touya, Isuzu, and Rudy are coming with me, along with a few others." Shiroe looked pointedly at Rudy who swallowed and nodded.

Shiroe handed a set of papers over. "Tetorō this is Purrcy's schedule. Some of it will need to be firmed as we go but it should be a close enough outline for working from. Naotsugu, please let Marielle know that I'd like the wedding plans to be completed by the time we get back from the Winter Festival.

"Actual date of the wedding may be pending our arrival, but she and Crescent Moon should be prepared for it to happen at any time after then. I should be able to give a five day warning, but if we're pressed for time it may only be two or three. Tell her not to worry about clothing for us, just you and them. I've got ours already planned."

"Ah, Tetorō?" Naotsugu pointed at him. "He's standing next to me."

Shiroe paused, then said, "Have her send me a sample of the colors." Naotsugu nodded. Minori sat up straight. Shiroe pushed up his glasses. "You can let her know she'll have the junior members as soon as we're done unpacking, and if strong backs are needed we'll likely be able to spare some of the sub-guild as well.

"If she wants Purrcy for anything, she needs to contact Tetorō, but he needs to run it through me before anything is added to that calendar." Minori relaxed and Tetorō nodded, though he was still reviewing Purrcy's calendar.

"Training, let Henrietta know I plan on bringing enough gold back to purchase the Academy building. If we're lucky the grounds as well, so the loan agreement will be negotiated either in Minami during the Winter Festival or shortly after we arrive back in Akiba. The larger a down payment they can make the better the terms, of course."

Shiroe finally looked at Purrcy. "You'll follow your schedule and be honest with Tetorō in your capabilities. I'll have you come back here after we're done in China. We need the Ocypete and the Oki Watarimono should be done by the time we get back. You and the Eagles will leave for the around-the-world trip after I'm sure everything else is wrapped up and the wedding is over."

"Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe," Purrcy bowed her head obediently.

"Then, everyone will pack today and tomorrow. We leave early in the morning the day after tomorrow. Please make sure your respective destinations know you're coming.

"Naotsugu, I'm sorry you won't be here to help Marielle with the preparations. The best I can do is let her have you to vacation with at the Winter Festival, and then for last minute preparations after we get back again. Though...if she's angry even with that, I'll try to negotiate to let her go with you up north.

"My only concern there is that I don't know if Purrcy can answer a summon carrying two people. I'd feel better if you had a healer with you, though." Shiroe moved his eyes to look at Purrcy.

Purrcy looked at Naotsugu musingly. "I suppose we could test it here in town today or tomorrow before we go."

"I'd like that," Naotsugu said with a nod. Shiroe didn't look at him, but rather down at his own notes, keeping his game face on firmly.

-:-:-:-:-

Two mornings later Purrcy and Nyanta fed everyone an early breakfast. Eyes were bright and excitement ran high. It had been some time since they had gone out of Akiba as a guild. Even if they wouldn't be all together for a little over a week or so, they would then spend the rest of the time together out on adventures with battles promised. The Log Horizon group leaving this day was larger than normal for a going-away since they had the Eagle Security detail with them.

They all walked to the meeting place just outside the city gate where people were waved off or greeted back home from. It was very full again, with Michitaka's group of two Technicians, four construction crew members, and three blacksmiths joining up with them. There was very little luggage this time, though. Everyone knew how to pack it all in their item lists in boxes now - even the blacksmithy itself.

"You'll all go, then?" Shiroe asked the group of blacksmiths that had moved from Roderick Trading Company into Marine Organization.

The head blacksmith shrugged. "We may as well. We're still part of the production crew, but it will let us all stretch our wings without hitting each other in the head." He looked at Purrcy. "BigMusclesBill had a hard time deciding, but he finally settled that if he stayed he'd be closer to his source."

She wasn't paying attention, being distracted with her goodbyes to the younger set of Log Horizon and Marielle, who had received permission from Henrietta to go for that portion of the trip, as it was only expected to be about a week long. The Crescent Moon League contingent to send them off included Henrietta, Shouryuu, Serera, and a few others.

"Right then, everyone headed north, over here!" Naotsugu called, waving his hand.

Shiroe walked over and said his farewells and good lucks to Naotsugu, then headed farther on. "Those with me, let's go," he called.

"Good luck!" Purrcy called to them all. "We'll see you soon!" She, Tetorō, Michael, and Nyanta were still standing with the Crescent Moon League members. They would leave a little later in the day since they only had a few hours of travel in comparison to the days the rest of them had.

Shiroe counted his group to make sure he had everyone, smiled at the young excited faces around him and Akatsuki, then turned away from Akiba and started them walking. "So...shall we ask LightWind if he's willing to find a few more gryphons to fly with us?" He got excited answers. "How many will I need to ask him to bring with him?" Shiroe asked Reed.

Reed smiled back. "Well, if you only go the four hours, we're good to go on our own."

Shiroe raised an eyebrow. "Have you earned your wings?" He got back a secret proud smile. He smiled back and called LightWind by chat. Ten minutes later three gryphons and five men with brown eagle wings took off from the broad ancient street that led south from Akiba and headed west-southwest towards Minami.

-:-:-:-:-

Michitaka looked at Naotsugu. "So...with the ten of us and the two of you, are you going to keep to your feet and the horses with us this time?"

Naotsugu put his hands behind his head. "Well, we thought it would be okay to split the timing. We're the largest group that needs rental service, after all. The Counselor needs to work out the details with his contact before we'll know if we get the morning shift or afternoon shift of wings. If you don't mind walking a bit we'll just stroll for now until I hear from him."

He shifted to wrap one arm around Marielle, who had walked up close to him. She wrapped her closer arm around his waist. "He's had to plan the timing just right between the three groups, so we're not in a rush, unless we start falling behind. You'll likely have to ride and walk back down, though. Marielle and I will be coming straight back here after we're done in northern Ezzo."

"That's fine," Michitaka nodded. "I'll miss the faster pace, but getting to reflect on the way back wouldn't be bad either."

Naotsugu rubbed his head. "Say, we have to go through the Depths of Palm in order to get up to Ezzo, right? I was wondering...the place is falling apart. Do you think we could survey it on the way up and see if we can find the safest and maybe quickest route and reinforce it?

"It's not like there's Dwarves in the area to rebuild it. I'd hate to see it crumble to ruin altogether. I mean...we could eventually just go by ship, I suppose, but having a secondary escape route always seems like a good idea to me."

Michitaka rubbed his chin, mulling it over. "I don't see why not. Taking a look at it never hurts. We could just do a skim of a survey on the way this time and based on how bad it looks I'll know how many to send to do the work of the full survey and construction."

"Thanks, man. I'll feel better about that. We just about lost Shiroe to the river at the bottom the first walk through it. I'm pretty sure it isn't getting any better." Marielle shivered slightly under Naotsugu's arm.

"I'd imagine not," Michitaka answered dryly. "And regular patrols to keep down the Plague Rats would do wonders for pedestrian merchant traffic as well."

"True enough, though with small groups like this or smaller, we just bypass them as best we can. It's not worth the time to risk the plague effect." Naotsugu smiled at Marielle, "Though this time we've a proper Cleric with us. That time, between an Assassin, a Guardian, and an Enchanter, it was a bit too risky. If we get cornered this time, I'm sure we could take down the population a bit if we had to."

"Leave it up to me!" Marielle said cheerfully with her big smile.

-:-:-:-:-

Nyanta, Purrcy, and Tetorō walked back to the sister guild halls together with the Crescent Moon members who had come out that morning. Well, Purrcy didn't. As part of the payment for Henrietta giving Marielle ten days off to play, Purrcy had to patiently accept Henrietta petting her as kitten the whole way home. The rest of them just put Henrietta in the middle of the group and Serera guided her with a hand holding her sleeve the whole way there.

Tetorō was relieved for once to not be the one to hide the kitten from the rest of the world. He walked along with his hands interlocked behind his head, humming quietly to himself. After a bit he realized it was the theme song to an anime. He had to laugh at himself, then he blinked in surprise. "We won't be here to practice for the Winter Festival play!"

Henrietta almost fell down and her head jerked up. "What?! You're going to be gone the entire time?"

"Well...hang on, let me look at that part of the schedule again," he already had the papers in his hand and was leafing through them to the back end. He reviewed the timing towards the end, then shook his head. "It's about as full of holes as Swiss cheese. He's got a lot of maybes and ifs built in at the back end."

Tetorō chewed on his lip. "While we're on the ship we can work up the script. We're usually pretty fast, actually. I would think if we even get a week to practice we'd be okay, but we're sure to get two or so. We'll come here if there's that much of a gap. Otherwise, if it's only a few days, maybe you guys could come over there earlier?" He raised an eyebrow at Henrietta.

They were the main leads of the cast, and Purrcy, who was perked up listening with interest, her ears twitching at them, was the director, so they had the main persons in this conference.

Henrietta blinked, then slowly said, "I would think we probably could come a little early if we needed to. We did pretty good on a dry run, don't you think?"

"I thought so," Purrcy answered, her front paws kneading at Henrietta's arm a bit in her own excitement. Serera nodded her head several times. She'd watched it, too.

"I would think that by then Purrcy would be ready for a rest, meow," Nyanta said generously.

"That would be a fun way to celebrate reaching that point," Purrcy nodded, her tail wagging a bit, though it was trapped in the elbow of Henrietta's arm. "I hope we'll all work on the script together. I've only got bits and pieces of it anymore."

Tetorō narrowed his eyes at her. "Well...you have access to the entirety of the internet database, don't you? Could you find it and call up the episode we wanted?"

Purrcy's eyes widened and her paw froze in mid air. "Good heavens. That's a cheat all to itself, isn't it? ...But," her eyes narrowed a bit, "what's the fun in that, really? Isn't it just as fun to work together as a group to come up with something that's close enough but is our own work?"

A set of whiskers twitched up. "Not like plagiarism is going to be taken to court here, but I do like seeing the variants that make them real and warm because the hearts of the people who put it together really put it together." Tetorō slightly raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well...," Henrietta said slowly, "we could get as far as we could on our own, then if there's something we're missing and it's a hole that really should be filled, then maybe you could find that missing piece?"

Purrcy looked up at her, then nodded. "I might could do that."

Tetorō looked suspiciously at Purrcy a bit longer, then said to Henrietta, "All right. I'll contact you and the others when we've got some free time on the ship sometime next week or so and we'll conference. I'll try to give you at least a day's advance warning."

"Okay," Henrietta went back to happily petting Purrcy, who purred now that she had something to look forward to as well.

"Could we get you also as an extra, Serera?" Tetorō asked the younger girl. "Or are you going to work with the cast from Minami again?"

"Ah, well," Serera was her usual slightly unsure self, "that was to help them get started here, though I had a good time. If you think I could help, I'm sure I'd enjoy it."

Purrcy and Tetorō both nodded. "If we can claim you first that'd be awesome, though it would be fun to see you up with them again as well."

"I hope we get to see them again anyway," Purrcy said. "That was fun to watch them. Will the puppet show people be going too? I didn't get to see them last time."

"I don't know," Serera said slowly. "I would think they would, though."

"I would as well, meow," Nyanta said, "that is a very lucrative business purroposition for them, to have twice the people watching."

"True enough," Henrietta said, proving she could actually follow a conversation and pet a kitten at the same time, at least some of the time. "I've been thinking about what the Academy could do to earn money over that time as well. Marielle has put out about ten suggestions I've had to shoot down because we won't be in our hometown."

Purrcy and Tetorō opened their mouths at the same time, "How about the funds from the play?"

"Really?" Henrietta was surprised by the suggestion.

"Well...it's put on by all of us from disparate groups. We could call it a donation from all of us to the school, if the others agreed," Tetorō explained.

Purrcy nodded. "You could have students from the Academy at the entrance or at the end taking up the donations so they were participating as well. And if we needed stage hands or the like, they could do that, too."

"Well...," Henrietta thought on it, "it would be a fun activity, and different." She finally gave a nod. "I'll work on it and talk to Marielle about it when we chat later, to see what she thinks."

Purrcy blinked and tipped her head up to look at her chauffeur. "Henrietta...I'd like to see the children also do something. Like what they'd do if they were home. Can you have them put together one or more booths related to their classwork or something like that as if they were holding a school festival to raise funds? If they do a couple at the Winter Festival where there will be more business, that will bring in more money and will give them experience for our own festivals."

Henrietta nodded. "Marielle and I have already discussed that one. We were thinking two or no more than three booths at the Minami Winter Festival, but our projected income from that wasn't going to get us quite to our target. If we can add in the donations from the play that might get us close enough." Purrcy nodded and settled down and Henrietta pet her as she mused on her financial thoughts until they arrived at the guild halls.

Nyanta took Purrcy from Henrietta politely but firmly and they parted with good wishes for the coming trip. Nyanta, Purrcy, and Tetorō cleaned up the breakfast dishes and the main areas of the guild hall with their contingent of guards, then said their farewells to MasterChiefS7, who was staying as central command with the Safety detail to wait for the train from Minami and prepare the Ocypete for travel, as well as continue to watch over the Maintenance detail still out on their job on the moon.

Purrcy took them out the back gate - Nyanta, Tetorō, Michael, and the Operations security detail, except Chappie had traded with Charlie since Shiroe had wanted ComOP with him - and summoned their transportation. The Air Efreets set the nine of them down outside one of the farther farms that surrounded Maihama ten minutes later. As they caught their breath and finger-combed their windswept hair, Tetorō grinned. "Who would have thought that we'd really get lifted up in whirlwinds and be carried off in such a short amount of time this kind of distance."

"Somehow I feel lucky we've arrived where we asked to," Michael agreed. "There wasn't really any hurry?" he looked at Purrcy quizzically.

"Well...I want to stop at the stores and shop on our way in. We're not really properly presentable just yet," she answered. They all looked at her wide-eyed at that. Everyone knew how to wear their uniforms. She just smiled and said, "Race you to the city!" She was suddenly panther cat.

They jumped after her, Nyanta going full cat as well. She didn't hold back this time. Only her higher levels gave her the edge to stay ahead of them. They kept a shield up in front of her anyway, just to make sure she didn't get too far ahead of them or stray off track.

-:-:-:-:-

"Mister Presley, this is my husband, Marquis Nyanta," Purrcy made the introductions to the tailor, "and this is Sir Michael. We're coming to visit Duke Sergiad and I thought you could be of some aid. Though there will proper times for Nyanta to wear his uniform of the Round Table Council, I am sure we will be invited to at least one ball and several state dinners. If you could help us find a few items from your shop that would be properly presentable I would be grateful.

"And then if you have a staff member who could help Sir Michael, he is missing some regalia of knighthood that didn't come along with him in the catastrophe. He should be properly representing himself while standing with us."

Presley Collingwood bowed the polite bow of a merchant who was hiding the excitement of big money coming into his pocket unexpectedly. "I would be happy to help in whatever way I can, Lady Purrcy," he answered smoothly. "I assume you would find the normal court wear acceptable?"

"Yes," she answered. "All of us are sufficiently conservative and there is no need to force the oddities of Adventurers on this visit, surely." She turned to Michael. "If you have any squires among the rest who are with us today, ...and if not, I suppose, ...this would be the time to acquire their proper regalia as well."

A quiet voice being cleared caught Michael's attention and he turned to look to his right. Standing at his elbow was a young man, dressed impeccably. But then, he expected every person who worked in this shop was expected to dress properly or was fired. "If I may be of assistance?" A hand was held out to direct him to a wall of the shop with a display case in front of it.

Michael followed the clerk. His eyes picked out the pieces he knew he needed that were easily findable in that location. He used his bartering skills to finally work his way down from the more expensive and higher quantities the clerk wanted to sell him to the ones he wanted. As they closed the deal on the smaller pieces, the clerk asked, "Perhaps I could also interest you in some clothing?"

It was a good standard sales tactic, but Michael was suddenly curious. "Perhaps I could be persuaded to see what is going as the standard for knightly wear, though I'm not sure you'd be able to fit my sizing?"

The clerk looked him up and down again, then nodded. "If you'll come with me, I'll show you to the fitting rooms. We have two or three that would suffice, I think."

Michael followed after the clerk again, who had carefully put the items he'd already selected into a box and set it aside. Nyanta was in the open area of the fitting rooms turning for Purrcy to inspect the current selection. Michael paused to look. "Marquis Nyanta always looks good in anything with his slender form and cool coloring, but that outfit does make you look very dashing. I'm sure you'll have many ladies coming to chat with you when you wear that one."

He gave a smile as he followed his clerk into his own changing room. He'd seen Nyanta's whiskers twitch in annoyance at the final comment. It humored Michael to twist him in little bits like that. After all, he'd have Purrcy on his arm. It wasn't like most of the ladies here at the court would do more than blithely blather and leave him at the end for those who didn't already have a rose on their arm.

The few who tried to be persistent would have Purrcy herself to answer to. That would be like brushing dry straw from plastic. They would flee to warmer climates with merely the hint of a look. And if he was the recipient of one of those pieces of straw, he might not mind it so much.

He didn't have to wait too long for the offering of clothing to arrive. Michael tried on the smallest looking outfit first and wasn't wrong. He didn't force it, not wanting to rip it. The second one fit well and was form fitting just enough to point out to the viewer that he was well muscled without being a muscle shirt. If he was really looking for the attention of ladies, this one would be it. Perhaps it would be the one to wear to any of the balls he was going to dance at rather than guard at. He'd ask Purrcy if she expected him to dance.

The third one he gaped at. It was beautifully constructed and fit well and just oozed "knight". The regalia he had just bought would go very well with it. He quickly took it off without harming it. He could hear Purrcy wondering what he was looking like and he wanted to surprise her.

He redressed in his own clothing, then took the two that fit out with him, leaving the third in the fitting room. "The other was too small, I'm afraid," he said to his clerk, "but these two fit. I'm not sure about one of them, though. It was perhaps useful for a ball, but I'm here as a guard."

"You don't think you might be asked to one yourself?" the clerk asked, hopeful for the double sale.

"Are there separate balls for the heads of state and those who are slightly lesser?" he asked.

"Often there are activities for the young lords and ladies that are separate from the higher lords and ladies," the clerk affirmed. "If there were an opportunity for you to be off from your guard duties, likely you would be asked to attend at least one of them." He leaned in and said, "Confidentially, Adventurers are much sought over at such occasions. Being prepared for one would be wise, I think. You are likely to receive many invitations."

"Hmm...well the other certainly would be used if we are called into a formal court and I must follow after Lady Purrcy and Marquis Nyanta. I will get it." He moved as if to return the second and the clerk held out his hands to restrain him and named a lowered price for the both of them. "Well...with the regalia I must also buy...."

The prices was lowered slightly more and Michael could tell he didn't have much more room to work in. "Well...very well. I would probably be grateful to be prepared, rather than wishing I had listened to wisdom."

The clerk relaxed in relief. "I'll take those, then, and package them for you."

Michael handed them over. "Thank you." When the trade of coin for items was completed, he put the items in his list and went to find Purrcy. "I'm done here, but there are a few items they didn't have. If it's okay with you, I'll go walk a few more stores down. I may have to special order from the blacksmiths."

"Okay," Purrcy answered. "I do wish I could have seen you in them when you tried them on."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll see me in them," he waved it off airily. "I'd likely have to stand for half an hour in each one as you found the smallest details to either be excited about or to condemn, when they are certainly good enough or you wouldn't have brought us here to begin with." He grinned at her pout and took himself out of the store.

As he headed past the closed door to Nyanta's changing room he heard, "Likely she'll make mew pay double now, while we're in the suite and before she allows mew out of it into public." If it was meant to make him feel unhappy, it didn't work. Michael was counting on it.

-:-:-:-:-

"Lady Purrcy, Lord Tetorō, welcome," Tyron Leighton bowed as their entourage entered the second tailor's store. "It is a delight to have you come to visit so soon after seeing you in Akiba. What can I do for you?"

"Hello, Mister Tyron. This is my husband, Marquis Nyanta," Purrcy introduced them first. "We are coming for a formal visit to the castle. I'm sure you have barely had time to even inform your staff what happened to you in Akiba, but we are in need of proper clothing for Tetorō for this visit. Given your tastes in clothing, I was hoping we might find a few things for him in what you already have to offer.

"Also...it is probably too much to ask, but I was hoping you could get started on one of the possibilities for Lord Iselius. If there is opportunity while we are here, I would like to bring him myself and have him try on even a basic beginning of an outfit...just to pique his interest?" her eyeridge of whiskers lifted and the glint of sales came into Tyrone's eyes.

"I think we should be able to get that far, if given enough time...indeed, I did already start on the one you had created with him and Lord Tetorō in mind. It intrigues me."

"Well, I should think that somewhere in our eight day visit he might be able to fit me in. If I try to invite him towards the end of that, perhaps?" Purrcy suggested.

"We will do our best, most certainly," Tyron acquiesced.

"Well, and if it isn't too much trouble, perhaps the one for Count Tetorō could be completed by then and the one for the heir at a stage of trial? He would be just as intrigued if he saw the Adventurer Tetorō in it first, and perhaps even purchasing it, then had the next one offered to him?"

The corner of Tyron's lip lifted. "Yes, the heir is well known for his love of Adventurers. I think that could be accomplishable." They bowed slightly to each other, sealing their mutual conspiracy. He turned to look at Tetorō, "And what specifically are you looking for, Count Tetorō?"

Tetorō raised an eyebrow at Purrcy, wondering that himself. Purrcy paused, then looked uncertain. Looking around to be sure they weren't being eavesdropped by any other People of the Land, Purrcy quietly asked, "Mister Tyron...I don't have a lady in waiting. How expected by the court is it that a Lady of high degree have one?"

Both Tyron and Tetorō blinked at the question. "Well, certainly with her husband present she might be seen with only one, but normally...well...," he dropped to a whisper, "if I may ask, what sort of level are you talking? It makes a difference, you see."

"Umm...well," Purrcy looked at Nyanta, then back at Tyron and sighed. Keeping her voice low still, she answered, "In Akiba, I would be considered a princess...but Master Shiroe has put me before the Duke as a queen. I'm quite unsure which level I should claim in this visit, I'm sure you understand, but I would hate to disappoint Archmage Shiroe." She bit her lower lip just slightly and an ear dipped gracefully in concern. Tetorō had to give her points for her acting on this visit.

Tyron blinked, then cleared his throat nervously. "Well...if so high as that it would be three or four with your husband present and at least one knight with your secretary."

"Oh," Purrcy looked despondent yet beautiful at the same time and Tetorō could only applaud her. She'd watched Raynessia well. "I've got Tetorō as my secretary, and my knight is currently looking through other shops. I do have five guards as well...but as I say, I just don't have any ladies in waiting. I would have two, but Archmage Shiroe needed them this time." As Purrcy's eyes fell on Tetorō he sighed to himself. He knew what was next.

He bowed. "I would be willing to fill that position myself, if it is so important to the court. You should have at least one so that appearances don't bring us into condemnation. Perhaps Records or Schedules could be seen in public as your secretary. I am used to being a woman and wearing their clothing, after all.

"And I have a much better sense of proper fashion than you do. I'm sure I can make sure you are dressed properly and appropriately for each function." He'd watched Raynessia and her maid as well and had a very good idea what his role would be. The tip of Purrcy's tail flicked at his dig for making him pay this price but she only showed proper gratitude.

"Ah, well, we could certainly find proper clothing for Lord...Lady Tetorō then," Tyron said, "however...at one lady in waiting you are certainly at the level of princess. If the Archmage wishes you to be anything above that, ...you should at least have two."

"Em, well," Purrcy's tail swished lightly, then she sighed. "Gareth, please come in." Tetorō shook his head in sympathy. She wasn't wrong to pick him, though. He would pass the most naturally as female, though it might be difficult if someone pressed him or investigated too deeply.

When Gareth was with them, Purrcy looked at him with sympathy. "Gareth, Mister Tyron has been advising me on how to properly present myself to the court in the manner in which Guildmaster Shiroe has required me to be presented. I'm terribly sorry, but I must ask you and Tetorō to please pretend to be my ladies in waiting for the time we are here, though I think it could be rotated and you could also be male in turns, though the both of you and Sir Michael should decide just how complex you want to make the visit. Mister Tyron says at a minimum I must have two and more likely I should have four, but only the two of you could pull it off I think."

Gareth blinked and tried not to let his jaw drop. "I'm sure I have no idea how to be a lady in waiting," he finally said.

"If you are the junior, I would be teaching you anyway," Tetorō said. "I've watched the Princess and her lady in waiting quite a bit at Water Maple Manor, so I know what to do. It isn't that complex." He sighed. "I think we'll have to think of it as a minor quest to get through it. And the lion will be the worst part of it."

Gareth paled and shuddered a bit, then whispered, "Do I really have to do it? I'm not sure I want to die."

"Well...it's face the lion or face the Archmage," Tetorō said quietly.

Gareth stopped breathing for just a moment, then slumped. "Okay. If I have to stick my head in the lion's mouth, the worst that happens is my head is snapped off. If I have to face the Archmage, I'm slag for eons, not to mention banished." Tetorō nodded solemnly. He felt about the same some days.

Some days Shiroe was his only protection from Nyanta, though that had been more common back in the early days. Having the gentleman turn a quiet word of warning on one was enough to send chills up one's spine for days. However, one didn't ever consider getting Shiroe angry, or even upset. The only person to ever withstand that had been Purrcy herself and even she had backed down, though not meekly. One didn't consider getting Purrcy angry either, unless you were wanting someone else to take a fall.

Tetorō took a deep breath and turned back to Tyron. "Well, then, I think we'll need eight proper dresses each, for a lady in waiting of the proper level, but we'd also like to look at five male outfits each as well. For me, it should be proper for my status as Count. For Gareth, probably no higher than Baron. If the levels matter for ladies in waiting, it should be the same. And I am very picky."

He noticed, from the corner of the eye that was keeping tabs on Nyanta, that Nyanta made sure to stand where he could watch and smirk at the two of them when they came out of the dressing rooms dressed as women. They did manage to raise Nyanta's eyebrow whiskers that both of them were capable of actually looking like women and filling in the gowns correctly. It was their magic that did it though. Gareth properly stayed smaller and younger, taking the role of the junior maid in training to the full depths they needed to play this game.

But then, Tetorō was already used to being busty and ignoring the looks he got. He didn't despise Gareth for wanting to not show such femininity to the world. It was a difficult thing, even for Purrcy when she'd had to pick it back up again briefly. Remembering that reminded Tetorō that Purrcy likely really hadn't asked this of them lightly and he wondered why Shiroe hadn't sent even Serera along.

When he had the opportunity during one of the times he was in the changing room for his turn to change, he quietly called Nyanta. "Do you know why Shiroe didn't send Serera and at least one of the girls? Minori would have done well at being a lady in waiting."

"Who knows why Shiroe-ichi does what he does, nyan?" Nyanta answered back. "We just do what needs to be done with what we're given."

Tetorō was quiet for a bit, then he said, "Yes, sir." When he exited the dressing room this time, he clasped his hands in front of him and bowed to Nyanta the brief servant's bow. He would have to remember that they were also beholden to the Lord of the house, not just the Lady they served.

Purrcy had caught his bow and glanced at Nyanta just before turning back to Tyron. "Mister Tryon. How many menservants for a visiting Marquis? Minimum, please."

"Minimum would be one, Lady Purrcy."

"Thank you." She turned to inspect Tetorō who was looking at his reflection in the full length mirror of the store, but paying attention to Purrcy and Nyanta as well. "Brenner, please come in." Tetorō relaxed a little. It was the best choice. Then he realized...their guards had been chosen on purpose as always.

He paid attention to his clothing, but somehow he was more alert than ever before. Purrcy was setting up the line for the battle they were about to enter. Behind him he heard Purrcy instruct Brenner on his new position and request clothing for him as well. At least he would be in all male clothing. Then Purrcy was stepping away from the group trying on clothing and over to stand near Nyanta to speak with him quietly.

As Tetorō arrived back in his changing room, ignoring Brenner's eyes on him, though the sub-guild had seen him female before, even if briefly, on the party chat came: "The final line-up is thus: Tetorō and Gareth are now Tetora and Gretchen and my ladies in waiting unless they are on leave per Michael's permission, at which time they may say they are additional guards. Brenner is Nyanta's manservant. Speak with Tetorō on how to behave. They serve in the bedroom helping with the dressing and undressing in addition to their other duties.

"Each of us need a secretary. Michael assign Records and Schedules to whichever of us is appropriate. They are to wear images of proper clothing in public based on what we're buying for Brenner and what they see in the castle when we arrive, or share them around with minor magical modifications.

"When I'm out of the room I will need both of my ladies in waiting, my secretary, and guardian knight with me in full polite society. If I am out on casual activities at most one lady in waiting should be nearby and one guard, though you know I'd be happier having a total of four, Nyanta included. Whenever Nyanta is out alone, he needs his secretary and two, though he'd prefer one of those two to be hidden. I'm sure it will be a complex logic puzzle when I am here and a restful afternoon when I'm not. Good luck Michael.

"...Oh, and we get bonus points for holding to the roles even in private, though I'll go mad if we have to do it constantly and Nyanta will likely just get mad, so play at your own risk and skip the bonus points in private if we have to. Just remember they'll have spies watching us so sweep the area before breaking proper roleplay.

"And, I'd like to ask two of you to go find us rooms at an inn that can get us to the castle in the morning without suspicion that we aren't what we say we are. Rent a proper level carriage to take us there as well. We'll arrive at the castle in the morning at an appropriate time. The servants are still being fitted with proper clothing, so pick someones not them."

Tetorō looked back over his shoulder at Purrcy and Nyanta. Purrcy had stood facing Nyanta that whole time so that her voice wouldn't carry into the room. As Tetorō watched, concerned, Nyanta stared at Purrcy, then as her ears began to fall, he reached up and gently pet her head. Her head drooped and Nyanta pulled her head to rest on his shoulder.

Tetorō sighed and entered the changing room. Of all the tasks assigned to her over the next week or so, this one was the hardest and filled the majority of her calendar. He sincerely hoped Nyanta would relent like that more frequently during this time - for all their sake.


	37. Initial Pull

"Lord Nyanta, Lady Purrcy," Duke Sergiad welcomed the pair warmly as Nyanta genteelly handed Purrcy down from the carriage.

"Duke Sergiad," Purrcy took his hands in hers and kissed both of his cheeks. He held still for it a little more calmly this time than the first time, though he was still a bit stiff. "Thank you for hosting us. It's a great pleasure to have been given the opportunity to come and visit with you. Archmage Shiroe has kindly found the time in my schedule to send me. I hope I'll be able to meet some of your own needs while we're here."

"You'll be able to teach your skills to my stable hands?" He was suddenly interested.

"I have one day that I can give them a demonstration. I plan on leaving behind recordings of the demonstration. It won't be as sufficient as an entire course would be, but perhaps it would be enough to save a least a few more mares and foals until the course can be completed and implemented. I'm afraid that there won't be more time than that because Shiroe has a few other things for me to be working on as well." She was graciously apologetic.

Nyanta held out his elbow to her and she took it gracefully. Sergiad turned with them and the three walked down the courtyard to the entrance to the Cinderella Palace of Maihama. Purrcy was in her green and brown royal traveling dress, and Nyanta was in clothing of similar coloring but of his usual favorite pants, shirt, and vest. Purrcy had merely modified the coloring and a few of the details. Nyanta had found a hat he liked and it was sitting jauntily on his head.

Michael followed them with Records, Schedules, and Training, all in their guild guard uniforms. The others were pulled aside by the castle staff and asked to be directed where to take any luggage and items.

"Do you need to rest after your travels?" Sergiad asked politely.

"Not particularly," Purrcy answered politely. "Akiba isn't so far that the journey is arduous." The rest of their party caught up to them, there being no luggage to direct or carry anywhere. The castle staff had been surprised, then remembered they were looking at Adventurers and gave up.

Sergiad's eyes wrinkled up in a smile. "Well, while I would enjoy having your attentions all to myself, I think perhaps the curiosity of the court should be eased first, if you'll accept it. Then perhaps tomorrow morning you will join me on a gentleman's hunt? I've put off the cabinet until tomorrow night's dinner, however. There was a general request for time to determine how to approach you."

Purrcy purred and looked at him with her eyes slightly narrowed, and her tail moved with a slow waving. "Why, Sergiad, I do believe you've come to understand Adventurers quite well enough now yourself. To grant the same opportunity to your cabinet even...." Sergiad gave her a look that maintained the smile wrinkles but said nothing else. "And whatever will you do if we turn things on their heads again?"

"I'm sure that is the definition of Adventurers," Sergiad said calmly. Purrcy sighed lightly. "But to have placed that burden on such a lady, is Archmage Shiroe so busy?" Nyanta stiffened slightly.

"He is always busy, I'm sure," Purrcy said calmly, "and didn't I ask for the excuse to come to visit? But truly, it isn't me. We are well aware that the nobility of the People of the Land aren't as enlightened as you yourself are. I am not the face they'll approach other than to gaze on the odd tiger lily that stands with the roses. Marquis Nyanta has been sent as Shiroe's ambassador."

Sergiad looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "Truly? You'll go to that extent to meet the expectations of the court?"

"Archmage Shiroe requires it," Nyanta said calmly. "I've been assigned as the ambassador to all the Peoples of the Land. I've just returned from my last assignment to the felinoid city, the Gate of Time, and this is my next assignment." He kept Purrcy upright and waited patiently for Sergiad to recover from his surprise.

"Surely the Adventurers are formidable for them to send an ambassador to such a place and have him return unscathed, having even found it to begin with," Sergiad finally answered him. Nyanta bowed his head in gratitude for the compliment.

"Truly Nyanta-san has the capacity beyond nearly any other than the Archmage himself," Purrcy said breathlessly, still staring at him. His whiskers twitched up and he purred just enough for her to feel it where she was holding him. She shivered slightly and looked away and back to Sergiad.

Sergiad bowed them slightly through the main door and walked through it behind them. Quietly he said, "I did wonder why he would put you in Lord Nyanta's hands. A quiet man with depths of talent is to be considered with careful thought before being approached lightly. Such a one would be able to handle most anything, yes?"

Nyanta and Purrcy both had ears that flicked at him, and Purrcy's tail twitched at the tip slightly. "Well, for the kettle to call the pot black I guess is the way of all worlds," she said in quiet cold words.

"Please, for the sake of the rest of us, relent," Michael, who was now next to Sergiad, begged - though which one he was talking to was left up to the hearer.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō struggled awake as Michael shook him. He groaned, nodded, and dragged himself up. "I really have to participate as well?"

"Yes. Shiroe's orders."

Tetorō sighed. "Alright. Give me five to get moving and I'll go fetch her. Hopefully I only come away with a few scratches." He did the fast natural change into a simple fighting outfit as he headed for the bathroom. From there he had to brave the main bed chamber. He just did a visual illusion at that point, not that he expected anyone in the castle to be up at that hour just to spy on sleeping Adventurers.

He opened the door and slipped in, waiting for a count of fifteen for his scent to go ahead of him and the two sleeping felinoids to recognize his presence at least subconsciously. When he arrived at the bed, he was relieved to see Purrcy still preferred to sleep as a cat. "Excuse me," he said very quietly. "It is time for sword practice."

He took a quiet but deep breath, then reached into the bed and lifted Purrcy. He then looked into the one eye that had cracked open on Nyanta. When he received a twitch of an ear, he bowed and dared take himself out of the room. Only after he was in the outer receiving room did he breathe again and sit to wake Purrcy up enough so that she could return to consciousness as well.

When she was partially there, he carried her to the bathroom and set her next to the water basin that he had filled while he was in there before. It was always sad to see the sleepy Purrcy. Her ears drooped floppily and her head hung low, but her nose twitched at the smell of water close at hand. She rose enough to stumble to the side of the basin and fall half-way into the small pool of water. He resisted the urge to snatch her out of it after the first few seconds. A few seconds more and she was lifting her own head to gasp for air.

Before she could shake the water off, he'd caught her head in a towel and was rubbing her down. The firmer the rub the more the blood flowed to her head, so he didn't bother with being gentle, just stuck with kind. When he released her, she went back to the basin and lapped up the water until her thirst was sated. Then she looked up at him. "Come out quickly," he said to her. "Michael is waiting." She gave a nod and he left the room.

Purrcy walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later, also dressed in a simple outfit to not get in the way, but to give some protection to the body. Michael nodded at her and turned for the door. He led the two of them out to a secluded courtyard hidden in a garden not too far from their suite that he had hunted down the day before and waved. Training walked up to them and handed the two students wooden practice swords.

For the next two hours Michael and Training demonstrated the basic blocks and blows of sword work as Purrcy and Tetorō watched very carefully, feeling the same movements in their own bodies. Once they felt the movement enough, they set it and then performed the move. Michael corrected their stances as necessary and what movements hadn't been quite properly done.

By the end of the session, they'd gained the sub-class Swordsman and raised it to level seventeen. Michael frowned. "I would have liked to have seen it go at least to level twenty, but you two spend a lot more time on muscle learning it first. We have to stop now, our time having run out. Work on it during the day so that by tomorrow you're at twenty, and so you don't forget it all."

"Yessir," they answered wearily. Two hours of sword work would be recovered by resting for a half hour, but they still felt the effects.

-:-:-:-:-

"Have any of you hunted with raptors before?" Sergiad asked his guests politely, quite sure of the answer.

"No," Purrcy was petting her falcon and cooing to it. It looked rather exactly like the cat who was reassuring the bird it wasn't going to eat it ("...Really!"). Somehow, though, the falcon was responding positively and ate the small meat snack she fed it just as calmly as if she was his lady wife herself, rest her soul.

Nyanta was calmly holding his hawk on his wrist as if he also had flown birds his whole life. "It's an art and a sport where we come from that few are able to enjoy, but it is still known the whole world over."

Purrcy nodded. "Thank you for letting us have the opportunity to experience it. It's a rare treat."

Sir Michael was staring his bird down, as if seeking dominance. When his hawk bowed its head and bobbed it a few times, Sergiad realized he'd been doing exactly that. Michael fed it a bit of meat as its reward.

"It's my pleasure," Sergiad said calmly, but the laughter when he was around Adventurers was as always just under the surface. "It will keep me young today to teach you how it's done. It helps that your air is already calm enough the birds will sit your wrists."

"Oh, they said they'd be happy to help teach us, too," Purrcy said in a distracted way.

Sergiad blinked in surprise, then did have to let out a slow smile. "Lady Purrcy, please pay attention."

Purrcy looked up at him in surprise, then pulled in on herself just a little as her whiskers twitched back momentarily. "Sorry," she said, but it was directed towards Nyanta not Sergiad.

Sergiad looked at Nyanta. "Should I just ask outright what she is?"

"Isn't it obvious by now?" Nyanta said, the hint of disapproval definitely in his voice, though it also contained resignation.

"Well, the shrine has been desperately searching the whole Archipelago over," his eyes and finely tuned senses caught all the reactions of everyone with them. He was sure they had been expecting him to call her the queen the Archmage had made her out to be at the wedding. The lady in waiting had the worst reaction, or perhaps best reaction if he was looking for someone to give it away, though Purrcy was the one who went cold.

"Truly, I've suspected since the festival. I was a young man at the time of the last Priestess so had the honor of meeting her. Lady Purrcy is very similar to her. I had hoped to use this as the opportunity to test my theory. There are probably no Persons of the Land who would even consider it a possibility that an Adventurer would be chosen as the next vessel, but the creatures do."

Sergiad looked directly at Purrcy now. "Many of my men said, after you were gone, that it had felt like the horses had been blessed by the hand of the god himself. The falcon sits as if it knows you also."

Purrcy sighed. "Well, then perhaps you've found sufficient evidence to calm your own mind? Though it seems insufficient to me. I am a Summoner after all."

"It is sufficient," Sergiad answered in return. "However, if the play this week is to pretend it isn't so just yet, then I'll abide it. It was merely for my own enjoyment to prove it when I had this sudden opportunity."

"As you wish," Purrcy answered dismissively, still not admitting to anything. "Shall we begin the hunt, then?"

He complied, but still, as he watched the younger Adventurers and the two who were old souls, he did have to wonder again why the gods had brought them to the world at this time and what purpose there was to going to such great lengths as for one of those gods to call upon one to be the Priestess. Forbid it to be so bad as to have made Purrcy the Oracle.

-:-:-:-:-

The bell on the door to the tall Minami main guild hall and storefront chimed. "Welcome to Shopping District 8." The clerk finished bowing and looked up then froze, blinking. "Ah, Guildmaster Shiroe, Log Horizon. How may we be of service? You're a long way from home?"

"Yes, we are," Shiroe said casually. "As a matter of fact, long enough I'd like to impose on your extra rooms upstairs for a few nights until my business here is done. How has business been?"

"Fairly good," the clerk answered back cautiously.

"The city seems to be stabilized and most people seem productively content," he said.

"For the most part," the clerk agreed, again cautiously.

"Are there problems?" Shiroe asked mildly.

"Well, not so much as there use to be. Just the usual I suppose. The few discontents. In no society are all groups able to find life to be their liking all at once."

"Who is the most disgruntled this time?" Shiroe raised an eyebrow mildly.

"Well...those who used to be able to bully, as might be expected I suppose," the clerk finally admitted sadly. "Most of them are kept in check, and the worst ones still have enough clout in town to not have become the worst on the street. The balance is being found, however."

"Hmm," Shiroe said. "Maybe I'll stop by the prison and see just how full it is and with who."

"It hasn't been that bad, really," he was reigned in, but it had been enough.

"So, we'll just go up and take the rooms we had before, if that's okay. We'll be gone most of the daytime hours. What time should we plan on arriving so we aren't locked out at night?"

For just one second the clerk looked like he would lock up the store as soon as they walked out again, but in the end he sighed. "Please try to return by an hour after dark, and it will be three gold per room per night."

"Very well," Shiroe said and led his guild members up the stairs. They could hear the clerk muttering in a chat, most likely to someone upstairs, or perhaps calling Calasin to berate him for not giving the Minami store warning. Shiroe pointed out the rooms for each of the juniors, the rest of them knowing where they would bunk, and kept them going on up to the roof.

Shiroe motioned to Charlie and two other Eagles helped him set up a communications tent in short order, large enough for most of them to crowd under. Shiroe cast the security spell over their cover. "Okay. H/R and P/R, you head over to the jail. I'm sure you don't want to go back, but you'll know best how to read if it's being used correctly. Scour the south side of town on the way for the feel of how things have been going since we were here last.

"Rudy and Isuzu take the eastern quarter of the city. Minori and Touya the western quarter. Akatsuki and I will be going up to the Ministry building so will take the north quarter. Secretary, you'll come with me. Reed you stay here with Charlie and handle operations. Keep the lines fully open. I'll listen as I'm in the meeting so I can have real time information to counter or support what they tell me. My E.T.A. at the ministry building is one-thirty, so I can listen in on the lunch crowd at the market district."

He turned to Akatsuki. "I'll have you watch over the square while I'm in the meeting, and take Secretary in with me. That way they'll guess I'm testing them, not just here for a friendly visit." Akatsuki nodded.

He looked back at Reed. "Call in the Intelligence detail when I get into the Ministry building. It will likely be a lot of boring things they don't need to know, but I'll eventually get it around to what they'll need to know. Let them know to ask me questions if anything comes up they need to know or isn't clear." Reed nodded.

"Right then. Let's go." Shiroe left the secure spell up over the communications tent and other than the two assigned to stay there, the rest of them left the roof as well - four of them over the side, the other five watching them a little enviously before descending on foot by stairs.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe and his two guards left their lunch table right at thirteen hundred hours. He led them the back way around the Ministry building until they reached a back door. Akatsuki disappeared and Shiroe and Secretary walked in. Shiroe headed down a hallway to a small office. He rapped once and walked in. "Is this the Department of Transportation?"

The young man at the desk lifted his head. "Yes. May I help you?"

"Yes, I'd like to requisition the train for a long term quest that should have a sufficient pay out that we can offer a percentage of the take to pay for the rental fee."

"Ah, well..., how long would that be for?"

"Mmm...right now we're thinking about nine months but it may need to be extended by another half year or so."

"So long? Where?" He sat upright, his pen forgotten in his hand.

"We're planning on taking it across the Sea over to the mainland. It's for a merchant quest, so a percentage of the profits gained would be used to pay for the train," Shiroe repeated himself. "We'll go for as long as we can rent the train for, or over the entire mainland of Eured and back. I expect we'll need an engineer, the minimum maintenance crew, and supplies to go with it."

"Alright," the man agreed. He made a few calculations and pushed a piece of paper over. Shiroe picked it up and nodded, pocketing it. "I'll take that over and ask if we can do it. Thanks."

"It would be nice if you could," the man said as they walked out the door. Shiroe smiled a secret little smile and led them up two flights of stairs to a larger office. "Excuse me," he rapped at the open door.

"Eh? Shiroe?" the Minister of Technology looked up from his desk in surprise. "You're in town?"

"Just got here today." He stepped into the office. "How are things going?"

"Just fine."

"And the trains?"

"Well, as you know we're still working on the second one...," the Minister hedged.

"How about the first one, then?" Shiroe asked, raising an eyebrow in hope.

"Well...we need that one for raising funds for the Department, you know. I'm not sure we can let it go."

"Hmm...even if we're paying the rental fee? I mean, you could use that money to pay for the second one you're working on."

"Well, that's true," the Minister leaned back, "but what would we use in the meantime?"

"Is there anything pressing Plant Hwayden needs it for?" Shiroe asked back.

"Well, you know, there are several things in the works we've been looking at."

"Well, maybe I'll bring it up to the Ministry as a whole, then," Shiroe said mildly. "Could you let them know I'm here and would like to meet with everyone down in the conference room in about ten minutes?" The Minister blinked.

"Thanks!" Shiroe said as he turned and left the office. "Oh, and I'll have to let Michitaka know you're still keeping more of the desk clear than he's managed to clear up on his back in Akiba."

The sigh behind them was almost audible in the hallway and the murmur of the Minister obediently calling the other Ministers to the sudden meeting in the conference room followed them down the hallway.

Shiroe walked to the front of the building and to the main conference room where he held all his meetings with these Ministers. He sat at the head of the table in his usual spot as well and Secretary took up a position of relaxed guard at his side.

"Calasin," Shiroe opened a chat.

"Shiroe," the response was wry and immediate.

"Here's the figures on the cost for the train. I need the numbers in ten minutes, thirteen tops. I'll be silent, but when you call assume I've picked up." Shiroe sent a magical fax of the paper he'd received.

"Got it. Hmm...yeah, I'll have to crunch a bit. I'll get back as soon as I can."

"Thanks." Shiroe cut the line and opened the one to the guild party. "I'm in place. Should begin in about seven. Stand by."

"Roger," came from Charlie.

"Report in," Reed ordered.

Each party of two took two minutes to report the summary of what they'd observed in the city and Akatsuki added twenty seconds of update on the market, including that Kazuhiko and two other Ministers were on their way into the building just then.

As her words ended Nakalnad walked in the conference room door. "What the hell, Shiroe," Nakalnad scowled at Shiroe. "You're a bad penny you know? Do you have to show up without notice?" He folded his arms and looked Shiroe up and down. "And that's your favorite seat, isn't it?"

Shiroe raised an eyebrow. "It's that hard, is it, to run a city?" Nakalnad swore under his breath and slipped into the seat opposite Shiroe. "Delegate more," Shiroe suggested. "Power isn't all people think it is."

Nakalnad glared at Shiroe, then leaned forward on his elbow, dropping the dark look for one of mildness. "Is that really how you do it then? Just have everyone else do all the work?"

"Is it?" Shiroe asked mildly as KR, the Minister of Technology, and Loriel Dawn walked into the room, took stock and sat down at the table. Nakalnad leaned back suddenly in his chair and swore softly again, folding his arms.

Shiroe ignored him, turning to KR instead. "When we're done here, go pack. You're coming with me. I'll need you for about three weeks to two months, depending on how long it takes in China."

KR blinked. "Why?"

"I have a special need for you at the end of a major league raid."

"You're going?" Nakalnad interrupted in surprise.

"Yes," Shiroe said calmly, though he still didn't look at Nakalnad. Kazuhiko and the remaining two Ministers walked in and joined the rest at the table.

"Going where?" Kazuhiko asked.

"China," KR and Nakalnad answered at the same time.

Kazuhiko sighed. "You're determined then, even without the train?"

"No. We'll be taking the train." He got blank looks and ignored those, too. "I have three quests to present to you. All three of them need Adventurers working on them. I'm proposing that you allow your citizens to participate.

"You still don't quite have the hang of letting everyone do the work for you of building the city and helping it to prosper. So far everything looks like you're doing the best you can, but you're so used to ruling with iron fists it's too tight a leash to build up as fast as you could be."

He leaned back and looked at Nakalnad finally. "Relax. Yes, I delegate, but I usually have things taken out of my hands to begin with. Everyone else says, 'here's what I'm doing' and I let them and if something isn't being done, then I point out the lack and someone jumps in to take it up. It's a lot easier to come at from that perspective.

"I suggest you practice it by coming with me to China and letting this place figure out how to get along without you for a month or less. You look like you could use the vacation and the opportunity to hit things. Your men could as well, most likely."

Nakalnad just stared at Shiroe for about twenty seconds, then he shook his head as if coming out of a daze. "You think this place will still be standing when I get back?"

"I'm confident of it," Shiroe said quietly. "Like I said, it's got a good start."

Nakalnad put his chin in his hand, resting his elbow on his chair's arm. "What's the quest?"

"The China Maze of Eternity. It's being infiltrated by Navigators - the Overwritten. We've got as many as we can get from Akiba going, but it isn't enough. We'd love to have you and your team's experience with us as well." Dark scowls were on a lot of faces around the table.

"The end goal is the end of the Overwritten generally, though I don't know if that one fight will be enough to take them all down. They're apparently pretty strong in the States as well. Given the fighting spirit of the American's that wasn't surprising news to us." The others at the table nodded.

Nakalnad tapped a finger on the table, then finally said, "Let me think about it. How long are you in town for?"

"In and out for two more days then need to get going for the next thing the day after that."

Nakalnad nodded. "I can get back to you by tomorrow probably."

"Thanks," Shiroe said and moved to the next one. "Did you guys get a Fall Equinox special event?" Heads shook. "I think you'll get the winter one, then. We'll try to be here to help if we can, since we'll be here for the festival anyway, but if it hits both cities, we'll have to bail and head home. It might just be a Christmas one, but I'm worried it will be a Twelve Days of Christmas one. That many days and nights in a row and we'll lose all our People of the Land if we don't get back." They could understand that.

"Just in case we don't get rid of all the Overwritten at the Maze of Eternity, and because it's a world level quest anyway, I'll let you know how to deal with them." The people at the table sat up tall at that. "Ritual purification," he said simply.

"During the First World Fraction, the Ruquinjé turned too much psyche building materials into corrupted materials, so when the world tries to create more creatures, instead of them being more People of the Land, they become the goblins and other such demihumans. When we strike to purify, the material that makes them up is purified so that when they are reborn, the demihumans aren't.

"Our hope is that within the next fifteen years or so, even if we aren't still here, if we've cleaned out the cesspools, there will be a boom in People of the Land births of all the races and the demihumans will die back and be manageable by them if we aren't here. It's a world wide quest since it was a world fraction.

"We've got a Shinto priest who has the power to bless weapons to make them purification weapons, and a special that will remove cursings on weapons as they are used to purify in this way so that we can get rid of the cursed flavor texts. We've called open season on the Goblin King for the Adventurers of Akiba, as long as they are using the blessed weapons.

"If you've got anyone qualified in town, send them back over to Akiba, or even just have them perform a ritual prayer to gain the skill and likely it will be given to them. Shrine maiden bows and arrows are also highly effective when used with the intent to protect people and purify the targets. We managed to defeat the largest number of high level Overwritten we've ever seen using this."

"How many?"

"Six high level and one super level boss on top of them." Several at the table choked. Shiroe shook his head. "Our intel says China's far worse. As a matter of fact I'm guessing another two levels higher than that for the top level. If you join us, Nakalnad, or even just send a team, we'll have you join us in Akiba first and have the priest bless at least one weapon per person. It will be essential." Nakalnad nodded.

"If you've got any role playing priests and any archers willing to pretend to be shrine maidens, males included, get them signed up. But the world quest is to handle getting blessed weapons out to your yearly quest site and start purifying it. Once that's done, anything on top of it is helpful, but be careful. Don't wipe out your farming spots. Remember that anything killed with a purified weapon or with the intent to purify will mean that monster won't respawn. You'll lose your drops."

They all nodded sagely at that and started a quick discussion. Calasin's chat request came in and he accepted it silently and let the merchant talk. Calasin was done before the Ministry of Minami. "We'll set it up right," he was promised. He nodded, content with that.

"And then there's a couple of other quests I'm working on around the edges," Shiroe continued. "I hope you'll find it possible to help me with them as well."

"The reason you need the train?" the Transportation Minister asked.

"That's one of them. We'd like to use it to transport the group going to the Maze of Eternity. Time is of the essence, I'm sure you don't need to be reminded. We're worried they're already cutting the lines there. If the tree dies, that's a lot of Adventurers who won't go home. The train would get us there faster.

"The other quest we need it for is to reconnect all the Adventurers of this part of the world. We're sending out a smaller group to connect with the continent - as much as we can reach of it. We've got a smaller ocean vessel under construction to send to the continents we can't reach by the train, including the Americas. I anticipate it's completion by the time we get back from the Winter Festival.

"If you're not using the first train, let us have it now. Any person who comes from Nakalnad's group will get a cut of the drops from the Maze, though we all know if they get Overwritten the drops are lesser, I'm sorry about that. We're sending products on the train while we reconnect to the continent. Any products you want to send to be sold would be income to Minami as well, though the merchant who's offered to take the quest up wants his cut."

"And that's who?" the Minister of Finance narrowed his eyes at Shiroe.

"MarketMaker."

"Name's promising. Does he know his stuff?"

Shiroe pushed up his glasses. "Would I send someone who doesn't?" he asked quietly. Nakalnad rolled his eyes, but no one could deny it.

The Ministers of Finance and Technology looked at each other significantly, then asked, "Can we get back with you in two days?"

"Sure," Shiroe said, tabling that topic. He steepled his fingers in front of his lips and sat silently for fifteen seconds. People shifted nervously. "I hear," he said quietly, "that you're still fighting with the Nakasu Defense Front." Nakalnad tensed up and Kazuhiko shifted slightly. KR looked away and up at the ceiling.

"I thought I made it very clear that every Adventurer is a human from Earth who signed up and paid to play because they had the freedom to do so. You're trying to overcome your dictatorial tendencies here, but you've got to stop outside here as well." He sat quietly a while.

"How can I convince you you're in the wrong here? I don't really want to put you all back into the same situation you were just in all over again. If your own example didn't teach it to you, trying that again won't work. Should I just disband the guild? Making everyone start over from scratch should be very effective." The Ministers shifted uncomfortably.

"I'll tell you what," Shiroe offered calmly, "I'll go down there myself as the neutral negotiator and negotiate peace between the two of you for the sake of peace between all Adventurers on Yamato. I need KR with me anyway, so he can come as the representative of Plant Hwayden." That got a few concerned looks. KR would be a loose cannon at the negotiation table...but it was Shiroe.

"Is Purrcy with you?" KR asked.

"No, she's working on other of our guild quests right now, but when she's needed, she's on call. You'll likely see her. And she's coming to China. We expect her Hacker skills will be as essential in that Maze as they were here."

"You're going to take her into the Mirror room again?" Nakalnad was disbelieving.

"No. I've thought of a work-around," Shiroe answered. "None of the Hackers will go in that room, but we'll still get them into the Tree room."

Nakalnad shook his head. "So we'll really have to fight the room."

"Yes," Shiroe answered and shifted the topic back, having received a question from the Intelligence team. "How tight is the Nakasu Defense Front with the People of the Land governor there?"

Kazuhiko wrinkled his nose. "They've got an alliance, but it's tentative near as I can make out. They're weak, like most People of the Land, but they're also bullies and the Defense Front is tired of bullies, as you can imagine." The others glared at the table in front of them, but didn't reprimand him.

"Why can't you let them go?" Shiroe asked the Ministry.

Nakalnad finally sighed. "Pride."

Shiroe nodded. "Then it's time for me to step in." He adjusted his glasses. "We're headed down there in three days. If you guys have reasonable demands, I'll consider them, but expect the main result is that you're all going to be apologizing and making the concessions. I'll use the excuse that you've been a bit unsure how to handle it since the leadership change over and trying to get things back into place here and place the blame where it lies, but the apology will still be required.

"Once that part's done, I'm going to invite them to help in the quests as well, extending the hand of friendship and mutual cooperation. Hopefully, they'll be willing to try still. If not, at the least I hope for non-aggression." He got slow nods from the group around the table and a final curt nod from Nakalnad.

Shiroe stood. "Then I'll leave you to discuss what you're going to do. Nakalnad, I'll expect to hear from you some time tomorrow. Ministers, by the day after. KR meet us at the gate in three mornings. We'll talk the negotiation on the way down." He gave them all a nod and headed for the door, trailed by Secretary.

He paused just outside the door, just long enough to hear Nakalnad say quietly, "Damn Machiavelli in Glasses."

"You knew he wouldn't leave us alone," Kazuhiko answered with a slight reprimand. "Not when it's our own fault."

"You've been complaining about needing a vacation anyway, Nakalnad," KR pointed out mildly.

"Shut it," Nakalnad growled. Shiroe smiled and moved on.

He was relieved to have Akatsuki at his side again shortly after they exited the Ministry building. He wrapped an arm around her and gave her a kiss as his own reward. She smiled up at him. "Excellent job, as always."

"Thank you. It's actually fun to pull Nakalnad's chain. He reacts so well. And Kazuhiko always manages to back me up one way or the other." He took a breath and looked at the sky above them. "It's even better that Nakalnad can't complain because all I've done is help him in every part of his life that's been closing in around him." He grinned at Akatsuki who gave a serious nod.

"Shiroe is always thinking for the best of everyone, even if they don't believe it for themselves at first."

Shiroe looked at her soberly, then looked away. He hoped it was true. Sometimes it was hard to tell. "I suppose that is my goal," he finally answered.

-:-:-:-:-

"Well, Lord Melbourne, I would think that such an issue would be a difficult one to resolve. Have mew taken it up with Duke Sergiad?"

"Well...of course," the Lord in question answered, "but --"

"Well, considering that internal politics of Maihama are outside the jurisdiction of Akiba, so is a resolution to said purroblem. I'll have to defer to him, I'm afraid. I'm sure if it were a need for the removal of a purrticularly nasty monster that suddenly showed up, a quest request to Akiba could be sent and someone would be happy to pick it up and come help, but such things as that should purroperly be dealt with by the governing body of Maihama, I'm sure mew would agree." Nyanta bowed slightly and moved on.

Most of the interactions in the dining hall as they had waited for the formal dinner with the cabinet ministers to start, and now after it was over, had been met with this standard response. Only a few had been met with the innuendos that perhaps there was someone in Akiba that could be approached for help in specific instances.

For all that there might be a new ruler in Akiba announced in the not so distant future, there wasn't much politically that person was rightfully the person of contact for from the perspective of a Person of the Land.

Nyanta's ear twitched until he placed Purrcy by sound. She was buttering up the Lords nicely still, but as his eyes scanned, Tetorō (playing Tetora) gave him the sign. It would be time to go very soon. Nyanta himself was just as happy to leave. They'd been here plenty long.

He glided his way over towards his wife, pausing briefly to answer to a few other ladies shining like gems on the floor who called for his attention. On the excuse of looking directly at his wife so they had to as well, he continued on when they excused themselves. That was another helpful aspect of having Purrcy along and visible.

He slipped in next to her and passed a whisper of a kiss across her cheek. "How are mew, my dear?" he asked. "I'm thinking it's time to retire."

"If you wish it," she answered properly and gave a nod to the flock around her. "Please excuse us."

They walked arm in arm to Duke Sergiad, who had his own little flock of people who were trying to gain some favor or other, scattering that flock as they entered it. "Thank mew for the fine meal," Nyanta bowed slightly to the Duke. "I think we'll retire for the evening at this time, but I thought I'd invite mew to come to dinner in our suite tomorrow evening, if mew will?"

"Please do come," Purrcy added. "Nyanta is a fabulous chef, and rather famous as well."

"Then I'd be happy to come," Duke Sergiad accepted, "thank you very much. Have a pleasant evening."

"Mew as well," they both bowed slightly and escaped the room.

"I'm doing the cooking then?" Nyanta asked as they walked the hallways back to their suite.

"You're the famous one," Purrcy said, "and I'm just the sou chef. Sou chef's don't get their names in print, just the head chef. Or were you going to have it catered in?" she checked her mental forward motion a bit.

Nyanta smiled slightly, an ear giving a brief flick. "No. I thought he'd enjoy a quiet meal after having to give us that noisy one."

"Yes, he did seem to be as hard pressed as you were tonight," Purrcy mused, "what I could see of the two of you through my own blockade. I finally just gave up on moving at all. It really is odd what kind of influence they think Adventurers might have. Are they all that clueless or are they testing to see how far _we_ think we have influence?"

"Typically it's the latter," Nyanta allowed. "For all we've been here for a year and a half peaceably, they're still worried about our strength and no one knows why we're here at all. The last time heroes came it was because they all prayed for help against the monsters. This time there doesn't seem to be any correlation to a thing they can see."

"Hmm," Purrcy pursed her lips and leaned her head on Nyanta's shoulder, thinking while tiredly allowing him to direct her steps. "Perhaps the creatures called us instead? I mean if there's a similar correlative action. I don't really know, but I do know that the Overwritten were killing quite a lot of them in massive waves all over."

She sighed. "For all we know, it was the programming of the expansion pack itself. Really, it's all complicated trying to figure out stuff like that, though I suppose any rational being would think there should be a correlative reason for it."

Nyanta's whiskers and tail twitched. "Mew must be tired. Mew've slipped into professor mode again, meow." Purrcy sighed but didn't deny it. Nyanta shifted just enough to get her to lift her head again. She needed to get to the suite on her own feet.

She didn't complain, nor did he. There were still eyes in the hall and he was just as happy to have them understand that they didn't need anyone else of the opposite sex in their lives. "Have mew had many sly offers for trysts yet?" he asked her.

She gave him a raised eyebrow. "Have you?"

"I haven't given anyone the chance," he answered back calmly.

"Well, I would have to say they didn't want to give any of the others a chance either. If it looked like someone was going to, someone else butt in very quickly and firmly. I would expect it to be a more likely topic to come up at the ball, assuming we're going to dance with other partners in order to be politically polite. At what point should I put a stop to it and demand you dance all the remainder of the dances with me to protect me?"

"Hmm," Nyanta let his ears twist as if in concerted thought, teasing her. "I wonder. Perhaps mew should come angry that I'm allowing so many women to try to win me over?"

Purry scowled at him. "It won't work. I already know you'll be trying to not vomit all over them, in sharp words if not in actual fact. Rather, I'd be coming to save them from your teeth and claws."

"Mew know me well," he said dryly. After a few more steps forward, he answered, "I think Tetora will know best when to fetch me so that mew don't explode. If it becomes too difficult too fast, pretend to be near swooning and have her take mew to the patio for fresh air."

"You'll have me be the bait when I'm at my worst?" she was aghast.

"Of course," he answered back calmly. "It's the least obvious we're fishing if it's real, isn't it?"

Tetorō groaned from behind them. Nyanta ignored it and Purrcy sighed. "Very well. I'll try to hold in my own teeth and claws until you get there, but if what arrives is a knife, not a suitor, I'm fighting back."

"I wouldn't expect anything otherwise," he answered with practicality. She remained disgruntled, her tail lashing one more time, but accepted it without further comment.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael ran his fingers under the cuffs of his sleeves one more time. It was terribly difficult to get used to the warnings the wedding party gift kept giving out. He'd rather not-so-randomly walked the entire room of young dandys and young hopeful flower buds in a circuitous manner three times now, and the last time in the reverse direction.

It seemed the cufflinks buzzed with more ferocity, if silently, the closer you were to a person who was likely to be dangerous. The earring lit up as well and gave a faint shimmering chime he assumed only he could hear. Nothing was setting off either one with great significance, and it didn't look like they were specific. Meaning, he wasn't the target and it was nearly impossible to determine the target just from where and how he was standing.

That meant, if he began to feel the buzz to his left, he might know something was coming towards him from that side, and as it got more insistent, the closer the person was. It was nice for knowing which direction to defend or attack from. In this room, it wasn't helping him, other than to warn him off the three people it went off for, and to help him know what parts of the room to keep an eye on.

The buzzing was annoying and was why he kept pulling at his cuffs. If there was a way to change that one thing, he would, though he would have to think a little harder about how to still have them be effective at getting his attention.

"Sir Michael," a soft voice said close by him, "if you've a moment?"

He turned. "Yes?"

"You seem just a bit uncomfortable in this place," the young woman said compassionately. Given that she was one of the people being shadowed by one of the dangerous people, Michael decided to talk to her a bit.

"I'm sorry that it's shown," he admitted regretfully. "While I've been to high society functions before, given my status, I'm afraid it's my first time to be with People of the Land. I'm not quite sure how much I can relax. I don't want to give off a bad impression after all."

With a glimmer of a smile, the young woman said, "Well, it couldn't be said that one should relax in such company at all, I suppose."

Michael immediately had a sense she was rather like Princess Raynessia. "No, I suppose not," he allowed. "It does make it difficult, though. We Adventurers are rather used to being able to relax at parties, not have them be even more of a battlefield than what we might have just come from."

"Mmm," she looked off dreamily a bit. "That must be nice."

"It is, usually," he answered lightly, then took her elbow. Her shadow had moved closer. "Shall we go sit. I'm sure your feet are tired enough." He walked her to the closest pair of chairs and gallantly sat her in one of them, then took the other. The buzzing followed them the entire way, and settled back down to the light buzzing it had been before. "Ah, you know my name, but you haven't told me yours?"

"Lady Elaine," she said politely, "daughter of the Third Right Minister."

"A pleasure, I'm sure," he answered, wondering exactly what a Third Right Minister was. "And can you tell me," he lowered his voice, "who that young woman is that is following you, the one in the green dress?"

Elaine pouted at him briefly, then answered coolly, "My maid. I'm trying to satisfy her insistence I meet with you."

"Ah," he answered. "I wondered why she was looking at you so evilly. Really, does she hate you enough to kill you in your sleep if you're not obedient? I can feel the cold chills from here."

"Something like that," Elaine admitted.

"Well, please, by all means, warn someone you trust in your household before you do really lose your life," he urged.

Elaine smiled slightly. "I'm sure I won't come to harm as long as I'm obedient."

"And are you locked away under key unless you need to make a state appearance?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at this odd person who seemed to think such a threatening situation was normal.

"Well, I suppose we all are to some extent or other," she said vaguely.

"Do you want to be?" Michael asked, curious.

She looked away and drooped just a little. "I'm sure...," she faded out and went silent.

"You'd rather be in your bed staring at the ceiling, dreaming your own dreams?" he supplied for her. Her head came up quickly and she blinked, then she looked away and pursed her lips.

"Hmm. I think you would get along very well with Princess Raynessia. Perhaps you should suggest to your father you visit her sometime, or invite her to tea." Michael looked away from her. "She also would rather not dress up and pretend to be interested in the person across from her."

"Surely you're unkind," Elaine scolded him.

"Am I?" he raised an eyebrow at her. "To suggest you might find a friend among your peers? Well, have it your way. Do you think you've met your required quota of time talking to me? I'd be happy to move along if you're done with my unkind presence." Her eyes widened at him and she nearly puffed out her cheeks at him.

He almost laughed at her, seeing the chipmunk she would have become if she hadn't caught herself in time. He rose to his feet and bowed to her. "Please, continue to enjoy the quiet of the chair. I'm sure you'll only have a brief time before the next person arrives to greet you."

He moved smoothly on, passing the woman who was making his cufflinks buzz. "Please, I'm not interested in her. Find yourself another man to marry her off to. Adventurers really aren't good matches for Princesses of the Land. We don't plan on being here long enough to properly take care of them. Surely you would hate to see her abandoned in but a few short years, disgraced and unmarryable?"

The woman blinked at him and the buzzing suddenly disappeared. He sighed to himself in relief. One down, two to go.


	38. Purifying the Depths of Palm

The next morning at the Cinderella Palace was the same as the previous one: an early rising and an arrival of two sleepy magic users to begin the physical punishment of learning to fight with swords. This time in the practice area two wooden pillars the height of a man had been set up. Hanging from either end of a short cross-beam at shoulder height were loosely connected sand weighted bags.

"This is called a 'pale'," Michael told them, putting his hand on the cross-beam of one of them. "It's a representation of your opponent and it's what you learn to hit first so you don't kill someone while you're still dangerous with a stick. Today you'll learn how to hit something for real."

The rest of the lessons focused on just that. Michael and Training each worked with them the same as the day before, first showing them how the standard simple moves they'd worked on the day before translated into actual blows, starting slowly then working up to speed. Once the two students had the movements ingrained into their minds and muscles, they traded and received finer instructions as they practiced physically until the moves were properly learned.

Michael had them continue to practice each blow until they were sufficiently hard enough to satisfy him. At the end of the two hours he said, "Okay. Now keep practicing that level of strength in your heads and we'll see if it translates into real strength. I'm surprised it might actually work that way, though with these crazy Adventurer bodies I suppose I shouldn't be."

"In the real world of Earth and the People of the Land, you'd have to work your strength up with daily practices for six months to a year to get where I want you to be. That's speed and strength, by the way. You still have work to do to get up to speed."

Purrcy and Tetorō grimaced. Their clothing was soaked and they were slowly downing canteens of water. "This afternoon I'll have you practice again, only this time against people who are at your level of learning. That is, with the paiges and squires of the castle. Try not to kill them. They'll likely hit you back, but it won't feel like much more than a fly."

He opened the door to their suite and let them in. "Really, I'm glad to begin teaching you here where we can practice with them. It's one thing to learn to fight against monsters that move, but don't hit back the same way. That way is just hack and guesswork. Learning to fight against other humans who also have swords in their hands is another thing altogether. You have to use cunning and speed and pay attention to defense in an entirely different way."

Purrcy rolled her eyes. "Which is why you're a beast in this place. You learned it properly to begin with back there."

"Indeed," Michael said quite seriously. The smell of breakfast was in the air and the four stomachs growled. With a laugh they scattered to the bathrooms to get clean.

"Why are you all sweaty?" Gareth (as Gretchen) asked as Purrcy walked into the master bedroom to get ready. "I thought we didn't sweat, and a cat least of all?"

"Because Michael is a beast," Purrcy said. "We're level forty already."

"No," Gareth said, "not possible. Adventurer bodies don't sweat."

"Yes, that would be the problem, wouldn't it? We got so overheated I called an undine and had her deluge us all," she finally relented, shedding her wet clothing. "It smells like Nyanta's fixing a good meal, though."

Gareth rubbed her down vigorously to get her dry enough to dress, then brushed her fur until it shone. He took morning dressing duty so that Tetorō could clean up from the practices. "You're to visit with the court ladies this morning, including a luncheon. I believe Liseltia is supposed to arrive to pick you up after breakfast."

"At least there will be someone I know there, then," Purrcy sighed. She pulled out three outfits from her list, having them arrive on the bed. Gareth looked through them carefully, then selected one and began to help her dress.

Tetorō (as Tetora this time) arrived towards the end of the dressing to give his stated opinion. He wouldn't let her out of the room without his approval of what she was wearing for the day. Both ladies in waiting were perfectly dressed as well and would be going with her.

When they arrived at the breakfast table. Purrcy slipped an arm around Nyanta's waist and gave him a kiss. "Thank you for making breakfast again without help. I'm sorry Michael's abusing me instead of letting me help you."

Nyanta kissed her back and patted her on the head. "No. It's no trouble and mew need to be working on it. It was on the list from when mew first came to us and has been postponed long enough."

Purrcy sighed. It was true. They sat to the table to eat their quick meal. Nyanta, as the head, began the morning meeting. "I'll be visiting in the purroper court today. Brenner-nyan and Records-nyan will be sufficient. Being locked in an inner room I won't need a hidden guard today. Training-nyan, perhaps today would be a good day to be the spy of the group." Training nodded.

"I'd like him late afternoon for when I take Purrcy and Tetorō to the list," Michael modified. Nyanta nodded and looked at Tetorō.

"This morning is meeting with the ladies through lunch. Michael is required as are both myself and Gretchen, and we'll take Schedules, though likely he can be in the background. I'm not sure fully hidden would be acceptable, though.

"We need to be back here for Purrcy's appointment with the House of Saimiya as soon after lunch as we can politely escape. Michael, I'll let you know when she gets back from that, but is there a specific time you were thinking of going to the list?"

"I'd like it to be as close to four as possible at the latest," Michael answered.

"I'll let Shiroe know," Tetorō annotated his notes. "Am I coming or is Tetorō? I'd prefer Tetorō I think so I can rest. I would think she wouldn't need a lady in waiting present on the list, but Gretchen would need to be here, then, minding the house."

Michael nodded. "That'd be fine with me."

Gareth sighed. At least he'd be able to drop the illusion as long as there wasn't anyone knocking at the door. It would also be a long full afternoon break for him. Tetorō tried hard not to look jealous.

"With Duke Sergiad coming to dinner," Nyanta smoothly inserted, "I will need my sou chef back here by five thirty at the latest, I think. He will likely arrive approximately six or six thirty at which point Michael-nyan will host. Gretchen-chan can hostess."

"Can't we just have him like family in the kitchen with us?" Purrcy asked. "If he comes alone, that is. I'm sure he'd rather be treated like an Adventurer the few opportunities he has."

Nyanta pursed his lips, then sighed in the face of her innocent excitement. "Michael-nyan may invite him to decide."

"Good," Purrcy said happily. "Then if he agrees to be relaxed, Tetorō and Gareth can just be Tetorō and Gareth and we can fill the kitchen with happy sounds ...and smells." Nyanta paused, then at the same time he and Tetorō both pet her, making her laugh.

"Anything else, meow?" Nyanta asked, looking around the group. At the shake of heads, they wrapped up the meeting and breakfast, quickly cleaning up and getting ready for the morning activities to begin.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe stepped out of the carriage he'd rented, Akatsuki holding the door for him. She'd ridden on the outside with Reed, H/R, and Secretary. Charlie and P/R had sat inside with him as he reviewed their tactics of the day. They'd left the juniors back at Minami to continue gathering information about town. It was their specialty, after all, and they'd only gotten a general feel the day before. Shiroe needed specifics.

His intelligence network in town was decent, but he had the opportunity to put four who knew exactly what kinds of things he liked to know on the ground so he was going to use it to good effect. It was a fun vacation for them as well, getting to explore a place they hadn't had the opportunity to visit before. Minami had not been a safe place for people with the guild tag Log Horizon before the coup.

The Senate building rose up above and sprawled widely from where Shiroe was being let off the carriage at the main entrance. It looked like it had been a fancy university built after the style of the old manors of Europe. Perhaps it had been a private school for the wealthy. Either way, the People of the Land had maintained it well.

Shiroe could feel his eyes going hard. This was a group of people who were going to have to be approached by the King and Commander General. He had given _them_  prior warning he was coming. He wanted them all present for his address.

He looked down at Akatsuki. "Are you ready?" She nodded firmly. In this place she would be accepted for what she was. A competent female warrior.

She was dressed the part the rest of them were. All were in their highest level and nicest armor with their grandest weapons sheathed at their waists and many other pieces of equipment and jewelry buffs of various kinds. They weren't expecting to have a fight - it was what was needful to show their strength to this group of hardened warriors and generals.

Pushing his glasses up on his face, Shiroe said firmly. "Let's go, then."

-:-:-:-:-

Naotsugu grabbed Marielle's waist and pulled her back from the crumbling edge of the archway over the river. "Go on ahead," he called across the gap at the half of their party that had made it across at a run as the rocks beneath them had groaned and begun to crumble away from the pillar Naotsugu and Marielle stood over. "No one was lost to the river. We'll just have to find another way." He looked down at the water far below, and added at a mutter, "If there are any more unbroken ways over."

Michitaka was looking down from the other side. Finally he called on the party chat line so he didn't have to yell. "I think that might have been the last one. I'm not seeing any more left down, up or to either side. See if you can get to the one three levels up from the surface of the river. That's high enough to be above the flood level of the river. If it's strong enough up until the break point we might be able to rig a bridge until we can get a crew in here to build a new roadway through here."

"Right," Naotsugu nodded.

"We'll split up when we hit the river and see about level four as well," one of the construction crew still with Naotsugu amended. "Hate to be on three and lose another archway if four is more sound."

"Good idea," agreed Michitaka. "We'll inspect both levels on our side as well." They were on the seventh level, it being the first one they could find with a full span, though it wasn't that any more.

"Hey, you think the Depths of Palm are even older than the age of the skyscrapers?" Naotsugu wondered aloud as they walked back the way they came.

"Possibly," Michitaka answered, his group heading on to find the way down on their side, "but it's also the damp from the river."

"Hmm, I suppose. Ah, the rats are worse on that side, by the way, since this is a dungeon. The boss is a massive rat at the end." He paused at a sudden idea. "Hey, you know, we just learned that if we kill with the intent to purify, like at the last special, the monsters aren't supposed to come back. Maybe we should do that every time we come through here. Rats multiply fast enough as it is. If we wanted to cut them down in number for safer travel, maybe this dungeon should be cleared for good. Not like we come through here to harvest good drops. Any opinions on that?"

There was general lighthearted arguments for and against for a while, but the general agreement really was that it would be better to clear the Plague Rats out to a minimal level. "Still, it should be listed as part of a dungeon quest, I think," Marielle said, looking at the red eyes staring at them from a side room they were being careful to pass by on the far side of the hallway.

"There's an awful lot of them and they only become aggressive when attacked. If we could clear a room here and there it would be one thing, but if we called the whole mountain down on us," she shivered, "we're not a big enough party for that, I think."

"Probably not," Naotsugu agreed. "We could defend if we had to, and run, but this is more than were here at the beginning and we're not on the other side yet."

"It's bad here, too," Michitaka grunted. "The hallways are nearly impassible in spots."

"Kind of like trying to find the one pathway across the river," one of his Technicians agreed. "There might only be one path to get to the door."

"That's bad," Marielle frowned. "I hope we can get out."

"It will be okay," Naotsugu reassured her. When she turned worried eyes on him he smiled at her. "We have the power of love, too, right?"

The other males of the group groaned at the cheesiness of the comment but Marielle perked up. "Yeah. That was an awesome increase in power, wasn't it?"

Naotsugu nodded encouragingly. "I would say, if we do have to fight our way out, it should be after we're on that side. The river will slow down the rats on this side. And we should protect Marie as much as possible. She'll be our status effect healer. The rest of us will have to hold the aspect of priests, so maybe she can be our goddess for the term of the battle."

Marielle laughed with the rest of the men. "Goddess of love, you mean?" Naotsugu was teased hard.

Naotsugu grabbed Marielle around the waist and kissed her, playing along with it. "Sure, as long as I get to be the head priest." He pulled out his shield and set it on his shoulder on the opposite side from her. "Lets get a move on, shall we?" he said with faint warning. The others went on alert and agreed. The air in the area had become a bit malevolent.

After another ten minutes of searching, they finally found access to the fourth floor entrance to the river cavern. Going on down looked very difficult. The rats were increasing in number the lower they went now. "We're on the fourth level, Michitaka," Naotsugu reported. "How're you doing?"

The answer didn't come right away and when it did, Michitaka was whispering. "We're sneaking through. Fourth is far enough." Naotsugu and the people with him all looked at each other in worry. Even if they made it across the river, they might not make it much farther than that.

The construction man in their group was instantly all business. "Right. We'll set pins on the cavern wall on this side. We might just have to span the entire gap, and it's safer to assume when the crew gets here next time they won't get across at all unless we've done it that way. In construction, it's always better to be safe than sorry." The rest nodded.

While Naotsugu set himself as the barrier between the rats on their side and the rest of their party, and Marie stood as field monitor just at the edge of the first column over the river, anxiously watching for the other party to arrive on the other side as well, the four others got to work on setting large pins in the walls of the cavern. The ringing of the hammers on the large metal stakes rang loudly where they were and echoed into the river cavern, but the sound was swallowed up the same as the sound of the rushing of the river could barely be heard.

After a bit Michitaka's quiet voice came to them again. "Well, that's helped lighten up the pressure on us, but it means you're drawing them to you. The full out battle will be there, most likely. Tie yourselves to the stakes when they're properly in. We might lose the entire structure to the river if we have to fight there. It'd be best to not be swept down the river with all that rock and drowning Plague Rats."

"You got it," Naotsugu answered back grimly. "Make sure you get your pins in as soon as you can. We don't want to lose you lot either."

"Mm." He'd gone quiet again and they focused on getting their own job done.

"Ah!" Marielle called out as the last rope was tied to the stakes on their side. "They've made it, ...but --"

Naotsugu chanced looking behind him since the Plague Rats on their side were still staying pretty far back. The six on that side were running. Two peeled off to either side of the opening and stayed pressed against the wall until the four who kept going had pulled the group of Plague Rats after them onto the bridge over the river.

Michitaka anchored the Plague Rats with his Monk's anchoring spell and the two blacksmiths on the wall jumped to hammer the stakes in immediately, swinging with great blows as if boosted with buffs. Naotsugu hoped fervently that's what it was.

Michitaka was fortunate to have a magic user that could cast status effects and he was rapid-firing them off to get the Plague Rats to do anything other than attack. Sleep, slow, anything. Once blood was drawn, the entire cavern was likely to descend on them - on both sides. They needed to buy time for those stakes to be set.

It was made the more difficult because until they had the gap bridged, they couldn't go help over on that side. But the construction crew on this side had already been putting together the ropes that would be the basis of that bridge. Naotsugu saw that with relief as he turned back to his own job of keeping the Plague Rats on this side at bay.

He let everyone know, "There is a sand bar down there. If you end up in the drink, head to the left side of the river. And, because I'm a nice guy, don't drop your equipment. You can put it in your list as you fall just by willing it to go there. Then they won't drag you down or get soaked."

"Thanks," said someone who wasn't occupied to complete distraction.

"Damn," Michitaka muttered and a smack was heard a second later. "Flat-handed him, but I don't know...."

The Plague Rats on Naotsugu's side moved forward stealthily, finally poking their noses out from the entrance to the caves. Their red eyes were now glowing in dark furry faces with sharp teeth gleaming below them. "Well, it's far better to purify them than let them afflict you with Plague," Naotsugu said with calm practicality. "Ours are getting braver now, though."

"First set's in," one of the hammerers on the other side said suddenly. "Ropes." Two more bloodless hits later and half the distance closed between the Plague Rats and Naotsugu and the next order came. "Send over the bridge stays."

"Right," came from behind Naotsugu, and he heard two bow twangs as the lighter lead ropes were sent via arrow to the other side.

"Got the upstream one. You'll have to reclaim the downstream one and try again." A difficult setback. Naotsugu had to use his own anchoring spell.

He chose to use the one that had a lesser angering affect, though it would allow some of them through and past him if they were determined. He'd rather not pull them to attacking too soon, since now it was his turn to distract the Plague Rats to let them have just enough time to finish their own preparations. Another twang of a bowstring and, "Got it."

Just after that came, "And there's first blood. Be fast."

Naotsugu set himself and gripped his sword just a little tighter. He was joined on either side by the other two swordsmen in their party to block the span from the chittering Plague Rats who were crouching in attack mode. Suddenly there was the glow of a spell that rested on all the Plague Rats in front of the three and the space from them back to the entrance to the bridge was suddenly filled with bubbles and disappearing Plague Rats.

"Woah!" cried the man to Naotsugu's left. "What was that?"

"Ah...I combined purification intent, love, and Hacker-inspired spell casting. I thought maybe if I could get rid of them without drawing blood we'd have a little more time," Marielle said a little tentatively. "It seems to have worked."

"That was a lot to take out at once," the man on the right said.

"That was the Hacker-inspiration. I've been building the spell up since we knew they'd be coming, then cast it when they all got close enough." She was sounding tired.

"Be careful with that, honey," Naotsugu said, "You still used up a lot of HP doing it."

"Yeah," she acknowledged wearily. "That part was harder on the system than I thought it would be, but I've still got three-quarters, so I think it will be okay. I figured it would probably be a first-shot one-time thing anyway." Naotsugu nodded. That was good battle strategy.

"No, plan on one more," Michitaka said as the sounds of battle began on his side. "I think the boss is coming this way. I've got a big red dot on my dungeon map."

"I'll get started on one also," his magic user said grimly. "If we can hit it with two big ones, we might be able to end this sooner than later."

"Fine, but don't overextend," Naotsugu said. "The other thing Purrcy was careful to teach us," he set for the next wave, "was that if you try to cast beyond your capacity you'll Cathedral just as surely with the rebound cost. You're better off firing off three mediums you can handle than one big one that's bigger than you expected."

"Got it," that man answered back grimly. "Not interested in that at the moment."

"Nope," Marielle agreed. "If you need healing on that side, try to get to this end of the bridge. I think my spell range will reach that far."

"We're ready for the next two." There were immediately two twangs from behind Naotsugu again. "Got 'em." He had to give the four kudos. They were working hard under stressful circumstances with a lot of calm.

Naotsugu cast Anchor Howl. Blood had already been drawn on the other side and this side was set. The Plague Rats bared their teeth at him and, after a one second pause, lept. His sword swung in a fast arc and the first row went down. "First blood," he called, then set to keeping the Plague Rats from passing him.

At the first pause in the wave upon wave of Plague Rats that descended on them, he felt someone pulling on his shirt. "Come on, Naotsugu, they've got the bridge set up enough we can cross to the other side now."

Naotsugu slowly started backing up, always staying the last one in the line, closest to the enemy. "If I leave this side, they'll get up on the bridge ropes, and I don't want to have to chop them down now that we have them up."

"I'll anchor this side and keep them off of it. The rest of you, go help on that side. Just keep me tied to the stake on this side so if they push me off I've got a way to climb back up and get back to work."

"But --"

"No buts, Marie," he said firmly. "Just come back far enough every once in a while to boost my HP up when needed. I'll watch everyone's backs so you all can get done what needs to get done. There aren't so many on this side I can't just keep going. Over level one hundreds can go for hours, remember?"

Marielle quickly embraced him from behind and planted a kiss on his ear. "Okay, but you make sure you let us know if you're getting overwhelmed. We can probably send someone back to assist if it gets bad."

"I will," he promised.

"Come on, Marie, quickly! The boss is on the move," she was called to from the other side.

Naotsugu turned and looked. The two of them were at the edge of the broken space with the four thick bridge baselines spanning the space. Slightly thinner rope had been quickly woven around the four lines to somewhat enclose the space to either side and underneath so that it was like a trough. Naotsugu picked Marielle up. "Michitaka, catch!" he yelled.

Michitaka turned, then ran three steps towards the gap. Naotsugu heaved and threw Marielle through the air. Michitaka took a partial step sideways and caught Marielle. They wavered slightly and the closest fighter grabbed them to steady Michitaka's balance. "Well, really!" Marielle huffed.

Michitaka grinned at her as he set her down. "It's faster and safer. We can probably throw train engines around just like we can go for hours on our feet. Take care of us please." Both tanks turned back to their duties.

"Stay on the ropes even though we're on rock," one of the party warned after a few more rounds. "The surface is starting to feel soft and I think I've been hearing rock bouncing down below us."

"Let's move closer to the wall, then," Michitaka said calmly. "The boss has been waiting up in the seventh floor entrance, watching us fight. I hope he isn't planning on taking the bridge out once we're off of it."

"Set the big spells to go off as it's falling, if it comes down the center," Naotsugu suggested. "Then hit it with purified arrows. It might disintegrate before getting to the bridge. If it comes down the wall, then whatever, just protect the bridge."

"Sounds good to me," Michitaka agreed with the plan.

Another five waves of Plague Rats and he could feel Marielle's healing spell boost him back up again. "Thanks, hon," he said shortly.

"Happy to help," she said cheerily. She was sounding a little stressed herself.

"Everyone staying plague-free over there?" he asked, a bit worried. He wasn't able to turn around and check on them.

"So far it's been okay," she said.

"Don't build up the spell too big," he said. "You're sounding too tired."

"Ah, how do I tell it to stop and that it's big enough?"

Naotsugu's heart lurched. "Honestly, I don't know," he had to answer. "Hang on a bit and I'll see...."

"Here it comes," the current field monitor called out at the same time as a large group of Plague Rats leaped at Naotsugu as if to push him off for real this time.

"Marie!" Michitaka yelled. Naotsugu's blood went cold as he remembered that the last they'd been doing was pushing for the far side. For Marie to have healed him she would have had to cross the bridge alone to at least the gap.

His panic and concern for his fianceé came out in a wide arc of blazing light from his sword as he swung to rid himself of every enemy in front of him so he could turn. The way was cleared instantly and he was slicing his rope to the wall at the same time as he was turning for the bridge. It was too short to reach the center of the width of the cavern.

Marielle was staring up into the darkness above her and her mouth was moving slightly. He knew she was casting, and just as surely knew her spell had built up too much. He was moving across the rope bridge without paying attention to it, desperate to get to her.

The spell from the other magic user went off and the flare let him know how close the boss rat was. His foot made contact with the rock of the bridge on the other side of the gap and he was kicking off of it to leap to Marielle's side just as her spell went off.

Naotsugu could only think of one thing. He threw his shield into the air above her, willing with all his heart that it would protect her from the rebound of the spell she had just cast, just like the Hackers set up the shields to handle rebound when their spells went awry.

He was wrapping his arms around the falling Cleric, willing his own HP into her to keep her alive if it were possible, as a great explosion went off over their heads. ...Then they were falling with the disintegrated ancient bridges of the great underground river cavern.

-:-:-:-:-

"Welcome, Purrcy," Shiroe said calmly, adjusting the cuff of his suit shirt.

"Hi," Akatsuki added with a small smile.

"Hello, Guildmaster Shiroe, Akatsuki," Purrcy said, stepping into the carriage and sitting opposite them, next to P/R. The door was closed behind her and the carriage rocked slightly as H/R climbed back up into place. The carriage started forward again.

Shiroe eyed Purrcy's dress carefully. "Do you like it?" she raised her eyebrow whiskers at him. "It's one of the ones we purchased at Maihama, from Mister Presley. Tetorō and I decided it would be alright to wear it twice this week, just for this, since I'll be two regions apart and Maihama always sets the fashion for all of Yamato. I'll be sure and blather such things if small talk is called for."

Shiroe nodded. "But then," Purrcy turned and looked out the window of the carriage, "you already knew that. I do love having Tetorō as my apprentice you know. He's the only one whose fingerprint can only be found by myself and Michael. He is a master at not only using the code of others perfectly faithful down to their own fingerprints, but at making the modifications to them also the same fingerprint.

"Imagine my delight to know he could do something so magnificent as place an almost indiscernible link to my history with the scent of a person who isn't even on this planet and then connect it to the code I wrote for you as if I had done it myself."

Shiroe didn't react, but he could feel the heat rising under his collar. Purrcy leaned on her elbow, looking out the window, seeming slightly despondent or distressed. "Are you going to remove it?" he finally asked in his calm voice, though he was perhaps not quite that.

"No, not right now, I think," she said airily, if a bit down, "it's far better to have you review my activities of the day on your own time than for me to try to remember them all and recite them to you later. I don't envy Nyanta at all," she turned to him and asked almost disinterestedly, "unless you've had one attached to him as well?"

Shiroe didn't answer. "No? Well," she looked out the window again, "I guess he'll just have to somehow manage to remember it all...but then he's very good at that as well, I've learned. He did manage to tell you quite a lot about the Gate of Time."

That did send a chill up Shiroe's spine until the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up on end. He turned away to look out the window on his side, trying to get them to lie back down. "That was a rather surprising turn of events," he answered as lightly as she was keeping her words. "Did you know it? That the second felinoid village was the Gate of Time?"

There was a long pause, then, "I've never been in it, though I have heard of it."

That struck an interesting chord and Shiroe followed it a bit. "Is there anywhere else you've never been in all of Yamato?"

"No."

Shiroe struggled to not react. She'd said it almost in dead tones, though her expression didn't change. Somehow, it felt like it was a place she hated. "He seemed very clear that they know who and what you are, however?" he pressed just a little more.

"I suppose that wouldn't be too surprising," Purrcy was back to disinterested. "Who knows what they've seen in the future and the past? I'm sure they must feel very omniscient."

Shiroe felt that he'd best assume that was as far as he needed to go on that topic. "And how has today gone so far?"

She raised an ironic look to him. "You'll ask for the preview, even? It was dull, though I suppose you'll be pleased that Tetorō and I reached level forty. Michael wasn't any less hard on us this morning, and perhaps harder since we managed to get to twenty-three by the end of the day before.

"We'll get a double dose today, though, since he'd like to see us doing more real physical activity. I'm supposed to ask if I can be back closer to four than five, but there isn't much point to asking. You'll send me back when you're done with me and not sooner." She looked away as she sent the thin barb over.

"The ladies were all keenly interested in talking about clothing, so I sold my line as best I could, though they won't get to see any of it until after the Winter Festival at best. Lunch was lovely of course. I would have to say that there's even less of an opportunity to get anything worthwhile out of the ladies than the men as a woman since women are kept in the dark for the most part about the real workings of the region. But...I've pin-pointed a few of the older ones that seem to be more in the confidences of their husbands than perhaps others.

"I'll see if I can get a tea with them sometime, if it's possible to fit one in. Maybe getting an old-girl's network going would be productive. All the young girls are simply airheads. Flowers bred and trained to be flowers and nothing more." She kept the report light. It wasn't like judging the girls made one bit of difference. It wasn't likely to change.

"On a more fun note, we'll be having dinner with Duke Sergiad, and I'm hoping he's daring enough to come on his own. If he's willing we'll treat him like one of the family and just gab in the kitchen. Nyanta wants to let him decide, though." She looked up at Shiroe again, "That was also an interesting turn, wasn't it? That he's pegged me for the Priestess already?"

"Yes, it was," Shiroe agreed. "He's rather sharp."

"Indeed. Well, he may throw more barbs at me rather than allow me to just have fun, so we'll see how the evening turns out in the end. ...How was the Senate?"

Shiroe couldn't help it. "It's a bit difficult to be the Priestess, isn't it?"

Purrcy blinked, then sat back and sighed. "Indeed." That very brief interchange was all he saw of Purrcy that visit, though it might have been because as soon as he was done telling her about the visit with the Senate they had arrived at the castle of the House of Saimiya and she had to be the Queen again, then be sent back to Maihama quickly to meet her requirements there for the rest of the day.

He did feel bad for her that she had perhaps lost the one contact outside the guild she had been happy to have had to lift her mood on occasion. The Duke was indeed just a little too sharp. If he understood, though, then perhaps he would relent and seek the person under the Priestess that truly wanted to be his friend.

-:-:-:-:-

"Naotsugu! Naotsugu, Honey! Can you hear me?" Marielle's voice sounded far away, but very worried.

Naotsugu struggled to rise to consciousness enough to answer her, to reassure her he heard her. He managed to get to where he became aware of his body and how heavy it felt. He seemed to be resting in her lap, her hand brushing his forehead. It was a rather pleasant place to be, really, except he was feeling rather horrible.

"M - mm...M'rie?" He tried to get his eyes to even crack open but they were as heavy as his body was. He felt a light kiss on his forehead.

"I'm here," her voice sounded relieved and she was moving, then she was lifting his head with one hand and a bottle was being pressed to his lips. "Drink this. I don't have enough MP to cast any more spells, but I've got a few potions that might help a little."

He wasn't sure why he would need to, but he was obedient and swallowed. It was the taste of the regular HP-up potion, mildly lime, mildly apple, mostly "green" since it was a green potion. She let him rest when it was gone, then applied another.

They went through about five before she let him rest, but he felt just a little better after each one. At most they would have still only put him up not much more than a drop in the bucket of what he would have full up. She finally relaxed in relief, though. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked him.

"Wait," he said suddenly remembering his last worry. "What about you? That wasn't all of your potions was it? You should be needing them more than me." His eyes were able to open this time and he quickly checked her status. He was relieved when her HP was high enough, though still fairly low, perhaps one sixth to one fifth of her total. Her MP really was about gone, though, maybe five points or so left.

"Your numbers are backwards of what I would have expected," he said, trying to sit up, then giving up. He looked at his own status and stared at it dumbly, not understanding for a while. He really was at barely-living levels. His MP rarely ever moved from the minimum points he had as a base Human, not being a magic user. It was at about five. "And I'm doing worse," he murmured in wonder. "What happened?"

Marielle shook her head. "I don't know. I was passing out after casting that spell, then suddenly you were holding me and then I was falling. The next thing I remember, I was coming up for air and your arm was caught on me. I saw the sand bar you told us about and headed for it. Somehow I managed to get us both up on it, but you were doing really badly, sitting at two HP.

"I used up the last of my MP casting healing spells on you but I couldn't budge you over the two HP. They were doing something, though, because you started to look alive instead of dead. I couldn't give you the potions until you were awake, so I had to wake you up."

He reached up a shaky hand and wiped away the tears spilling over her red cheeks. "Thank you. I'm sorry I worried you." She held his palm against her cheek with her hand warmly, trying to smile. "You worried me, too, you know."

She nodded. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done a thing I hadn't had my own lessons in yet."

"Well, I think we won, though," he relented quickly. "We can ask Purrcy how to handle that end of things before you do it again." She nodded obediently.

There was a crunch of sand nearby and a shadow fell over them. "Well, at least you're both still alive. That was rather some massive explosion. Took down the entire structure, though any kind of explosion probably would have at that point it was so old," Michitaka's voice drifted down to them from his height above them.

The voice moved to speak to the people behind him. "We'll set up camp here for now. These two need nearly three hours of recovery. We've got all the time in the world to get out of here now, so we can afford it. Once camp is set up, if you four want to go and reinforce the bridge a bit more, be my guest."

Michitaka crouched down on the other side of Naotsugu from Marielle. "So...what really happened there?"

"Don't know," Naotsugu said. "What did you see?"

"I saw you do the fool's leap and throw away your shield just before that. My magic user cast his spell and just after that the two arrows went after the boss. It was down about half points just from that, then Marie's spell hit it. It was going up into the ether as bubbles when there was suddenly an explosion.

"It looked like your shield had been struck by the worst sort of thing ever and it shattered and disappeared. Then the two of you were falling, though it was really weird because it looked like it was just Marie falling surrounded by a sphere of light. She hit the water and bobbed back up, but nothing hit her, then you were too far down the river for us to see."

Naotsugu closed his eyes and tried to remember. It slowly came back, his panic at Marielle's cost for casting too high a new spell.

"The shield actually exploded?" Marielle asked, horrified. "I'm sorry, hon. I know you loved finally getting a better shield at Seventh Fall."

Naotsugu shook his head. "No, I swapped it out for my old one before I threw it." He opened his eyes and smiled at her again. "You know I like my good stuff too much to just let it go like that."

She smiled a watery smile back at him. "Well, that is true." Her brow wrinkled, "Did you expect it to be destroyed then?"

"Yes," he answered solemnly. "I did what you did, and experimented based on what the Hackers have done. You remember they put up shields between them and their target in case their spells come back at them, right?" Marielle and Michitaka both nodded, remembering the demo back a quarter year ago now.

"I threw it and desperately intended that it be one of those kinds of shields so that when your spell rebounded it would lose as much power as possible taking it out. But I was worried that it wouldn't be enough. It was a rather low level shield, after all."

He rubbed his temple with the heel of his hand. "What happened after that is fuzzy. I just remember grabbing you and willing as much HP of my own into you to make up for what you'd lost in the creation of the spell, hoping to keep you at least a little bit alive, and feeling with all my being that if I was a Guardian at all, then I would be the second shield you would need to protect you from the remainder of the rebound. There's nothing after that until you woke me up."

"Well, by rights you should have both been back at the entrance," Michitaka said. "I don't know how much of the spell would have reached you, but the explosion that tore the shield apart was massive. At that power and speed, what was left should have axed you just as good. ...But it didn't. And I'm pretty sure you disappeared Naotsugu."

"Well..., and so did my MP. That hasn't ever happened in my entire gaming experience, though I haven't got a lot to begin with," Naotsugu said.

Michitaka looked at him with a wrinkle to his brow. "You really became the shield that carried her down?"

Naotsugu shrugged. "I wanted to, but as I say, I don't remember that part. And she's got more HP than she should, so maybe that part worked, too, though HP transference shouldn't be possible either. Some part of all that may have cost me the MP."

Marielle was pale. "It took everything I had to get you back, though, Naotsugu. I don't know why you weren't dead, I really don't."

"Oh, that," he smiled at her. "You know I've got a lot of cool items I love. That's one of them. If I get hit with a critical, it keeps me at 1 HP so I have a chance to keep going."

"Well, but it was 2 HP...for a really long time."

Naotsugu pulled his item out and looked at the status and raised his eyebrow. "Hmm...I'll have to thank Purrcy. She's got this itch between her shoulders for the 1 HP limit. Looks like she modified it to sit at 2 HP instead. That will be a life-saver someday."

"Someday! How about today?" Marielle was crying again.

"Well, someday when I'm conscious enough to cast Call of Home," he amended, carefully putting his item back where it belonged in his list. "But I'll thank her today, too."

Michitaka rose to his feet. "Well, I'll let you two sit here and recover. We'll get food going as well. That will help replace some of the HP for the both of you."

"Here," Marielle handed over a handful of herbs, "if you add these, we'll get a boost for MP, too."

"Thanks!" Michitaka smiled and sauntered off towards the place busy sounds were coming from.

Naotsugu looked up into Marielle's eyes, then patted the sand next to him. "Here. Come here."

Marielle carefully moved out from under his head and lay down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her to hold her close. "I'm here, Marie. Together we did it. Both of us survived, quite well really for our second time as tank and op. Thank you for taking care of me."

She shivered and nodded. Around her own tears she managed to thank him as well. He held her, comforting her, until they both fell asleep to recover.


	39. Half-way Through the First Rooms

"Lord Nyanta, is that your wife?" the noble walking with Nyanta stopped midstep, then turned to look over towards the list field they were walking past.

Nyanta looked over calmly and watched. "It looks like her studies are going well," he answered after a bit. His eyes narrowed and his ears pointed directly forward as Michael stepped closer to her and reset her stance and grip on her wooden practice sword.

They couldn't hear from this distance the instructions that were given, but Purrcy looked at Michael and asked a question, then nodded at the answer. They watched as she set herself again to face the lanky teen she was partnered with.

"Is that her knight?" the noble asked.

Nyanta glanced at his companion. "It is," he answered. The noble gave him a knowing look. Nyanta ignored it coolly and continued to watch her form. "It looks like she will finally not kill a purractice opponent," he said, then turned them and continued them on their pathway.

-:-:-:-:-

"Welcome," Michael bowed Sergiad into their suite. Looking behind the Duke, he saw no one, so he closed the door. "Is it just you tonight? That's very brave of you." Sergiad smiled his slight smile.

"I'd like to ask you to please keep the barbs to a minimum tonight. Purrcy is more Purrcy than Priestess or anything else when we are together like this. It's only in public she is less herself." At Sergiad's raised eyebrow, Michael shifted and looked at him sternly. "Shiroe has had to work very hard to get her time to be with us without interference. We don't approve."

Both of Sergiad's eyebrows raised at that. "The Adventurers have an opposing opinion?"

"Quite so," Michael agreed. "We are independent. To have had one of us be taken over by a thing that controls makes us just as upset as having been dragged here against our wills." He moved to lead Sergiad farther into the common sitting area.

"You have a choice tonight. You can be hosted as the Grand Duke and we will remain properly polite, or you may join us as an unrelated family group we call a guild, and we will treat you as one of us...or perhaps as the father of one of us. Purrcy - the real Purrcy that is - already thinks that way of you, you know." He looked at the Duke out of the corner of his eye.

Sergiad sighed and looked away, considering. He put his hands behind his back and walked over to look at a painting on the wall. Michael let him have the time he needed. It wasn't like a true noble had any idea how to really relax. Most of them understood that testing and verbal sparing went on all the time in every situation, in their world. Even in this case, it would likely happen anyway.

Sergiad finally took a deep breath and turned around. He kept his hands behind his back and stood firmly facing Michael. "It is indeed tempting to see what the relaxed Adventurer is like, and how they are in a group that way. But perhaps it will cloud my judgment too much."

Michael's face lifted as he smiled at Sergiad. "Afraid of falling in love with us too much?" He sighed. "I'm sure you feel you should maintain just enough distance as the Duke, particularly if Purrcy is being set up to be the Queen." He could see he was right on the money.

"However...if it were possible for you to understand that we care for Purrcy and wish to see her happy the few times it's allowed, perhaps you could allow yourself to see that just for tonight you are visiting a daughter that is a captive in a tower and when you see her again, you will be facing something different again?"

Sergiad's eyes were wide and Michael could see the tension in his shoulders. "It's as bad as that?"

Michael nodded soberly. Sergiad's shoulders sagged slightly and he looked down, then he closed his eyes and sighed. Turning back to the table under the picture he had been looking at, he took his narrow circlet off his shoulder-length grey and white hair and set it on the table. His necklace of office followed it.

When he moved to take off his outer formal jacket, Michael stepped up and helped hold it so he could slip out of it, then carefully lay it across a chair that was close by. When Sergiad went to remove his sword belt, Michael held up his hand. "Even we will continue to wear our safety when we're together in a strange place. There will be no offense taken if you keep it by your side. In fact, you might just get a scolding for having let it go."

Sergiad looked at him, then nodded. The last thing to go on the table was his signet ring. Michael frowned and rubbed his head. "That's uncomfortable." Sergiad looked at him in surprise.

After a bit of hunting through his list of items, Michael pulled out a narrow chain. "Put the ring on this and put it around your neck. I've seen far too many small things like that get lost, and that one's too important to have a mouse slip it into its hole. You can keep the chain. It's been given a special property that prevents loss and theft."

"Thank you, Sir Michael," Sergiad said, taking the chain.

"No, it's just Michael now," he rebuked lightly. Sergiad gave him a bit of a smile, then focused on getting the ring on the chain and putting the chain over his head. When it was settled under his shirt, Michael directed him towards the kitchen.

"We're a family that gathers in the kitchen, or around the campfire, when we're away from home. But then that's because mother and father are both the cooks, so that's where the children will be found." He smiled and Sergiad seemed to understand. "I myself would often arrive at home to find the kitchen full of sounds and smells and the rest of the house dark and quiet."

Sergiad blinked at him. "You're married, then?"

Michael nodded soberly but didn't let him go any further, opening the kitchen door. "We're home," he said to the people in the room. Faces lit up in grins and they were welcomed in with noisy happiness.

-:-:-:-:-

The door to the Adventurer's suite closed behind Duke Sergiad. His steps strode with their natural stride away. He was lost in his thoughts when he felt his close aide arrive at his side, having waited outside the hall for him. "Were you able to learn what you went to see?" the man asked softly.

Sergiad stayed silent. He wasn't pressed for an answer. It had been a conversational question, and an offer to speak if he wanted to. An answer was still necessary - eventually. He chose to go straight to his own quarters, where his manservant poured him a stiff drink.

Sergiad sank into his chair in front of the fireplace, accepted the glass, then went back to thinking. Finally he sighed. "Send for the acolyte." His aide bowed and stepped out of the room.

When the black robed acolyte entered the room, she was stopped just inside the door. Sergiad made her wait on him for a few minutes. Finally he said, "You will not find what you're looking for here, but likely your Priestess will be arriving in her rightful place soon. You may stay if you want, but I believe you are wasting your time."

"I still beg to differ. We were shown she would be here."

"Don't you think," he said, lifting his glass in his hand and looking at the distorted reflection of the acolyte in it, "that even if she were here, if she hasn't come yet it would be because the god has its own purposes in it? It seems to me...," he looked into the fire again, "that when the god is ready for its Priestess to be in her rightful place, it will make sure she is there."

He looked at the reflection again. The acolyte wasn't happy. "Or do you not have enough faith in your own god?" he asked, pricking her on purpose. The acolyte went stiff, and just as stiffly excused herself. After a moment, Sergiad said coldly, "Make sure she leaves no later than tomorrow breakfast without seeing anyone else." There was a soft rustle, more felt than heard as his order was received and acted on.

Sergiad lifted his glass to his lips and sipped his drink, feeling the burn on his tongue along with the smooth taste. He clasped the fingers of both hands around the stem of the glass, resting his elbows on the arms of his plush chair. "If you had a precious person or cargo to deliver, Thomas, who would you want to hire to ensure it made it to the destination properly?"

His aide moved to stand at the edge of his chair, but not so as to intrude overly much. "The Adventurers."

"Mm," Sergiad agreed. "And...if in the process they learned that what they were protecting didn't want to be delivered? What do you think they would do?" Thomas was silent as he puzzled that one over.

"I'll make it a little more plain," Sergiad finally relented. "If we are working on the theory that an Adventurer has become the Priestess, who better than to protect her than other Adventurers?" Thomas nodded. "And if those Adventurers discovered that she didn't want to be the Priestess? What would they do?"

Thomas carefully said, "Keep her?"

Sergiad raised his glass again in one hand. He twirled the glass, watching the firelight making patterns on the swirling drink. "But can even the Adventurers win if a god demands she be delivered?" he asked it casually.

After a moment, he scowled and downed the rest of his drink. He stood and set the glass on the table near him with a firm clunk. "They will fight it, Thomas. They will stand and fight even against a god!"

He looked into the fire, and what he saw there was the burning of the world, rather than the burning of a few logs. He finally turned to look into the eyes of his close aide. "The gods are mad. All I can do is protect the few I can protect for the little time we have remaining, and hope in one man, one guild, and one woman. They are all that stand between us and utter despair and ruin." He lowered his eyes from the look on his man's face.

"Continue to see that they are treated with all respect and honor. They will leave soon enough. The battle will not be fought here, even if we must bear the repercussions of it when it happens.

"If the acolyte and the shrine learn what and who the Priestess is while they are here, and the acolyte presses the issue, we will all pay a price I'm not willing to pay. They protect her with great firmness. They won't let her go until they're ready, or the god demands it and gives them no choice."

Thomas nodded his understanding. He would see that the shrine and those who worked in it were kept from the castle and from Maihama until the Adventurers left.

-:-:-:-:-

Duke Sergiad watched Purrcy the next morning as she taught his stable hands and horsemen how to perform surgeries on the horses, specifically those necessary for sudden difficult birthings. When there was additional time at the end, she continued on to a few other healing surgeries that she knew of to offer. Because she was willing to pay this price, he was willing to have her here in Maihama. Otherwise, he would have refused.

He didn't like the Priestess, and after last night, he thought he understood why. It wasn't the Priestess he didn't like...it was the god behind the Priestess, the one who he had lost all faith in last night, the one who had betrayed all living creatures on Theldesia by bringing the thinking Adventurers here, and then betrayed them again by thinking it could make one of those Adventurers its own without angering the creatures not even it could understand.

He had taken an early liking to Purrcy, though. She was very much like his own wife had been. Brilliant, quick with the court tongue, just enough delicateness to offset the strength to make one want to protect her. A smile that disarmed and a genuine caring for others that peeked out when it could around the edges of the required aloofness of high nobility. That caring was coming out in this lecture she was giving. She truly cared for the horses, and cared that the men taking care of them could properly do so.

He wasn't bothering to follow the lecture specifically. He was here to observe her. He wanted to understand how much of the Purrcy of last night could be seen, and it was as much as he had thought. Most of the time, she was often present. He was personally relieved to know that he had come to like the part of her that was real, not forced, ...though it was irrelevant. Once she was ensconced in the shrine, he could publicly claim a friendly relationship with her, even if it wouldn't exist any more at that point. Even a past relation would have bearing in the right negotiations.

There wasn't anything he could do. Even as a Grand Duke, he was still only a Person of the Land, subject to the laws of the world and the whims of its gods. But perhaps by having given her one brief evening of happiness he could win for himself and his city and people one brief moment of protection when it mattered most. He could only hope.

It hadn't been a hard price to pay. He did actually enjoy getting to laugh at the Adventurers and getting to laugh with them had been as fun as could have been hoped - a rare treat for someone like himself. Only his growing sorrow - and horror - had made the evening difficult, and he hadn't stayed overly long. They had politely allowed him to go, knowing he was busy. Only in his nightmares that night had they turned from polite kindness into monsters of destruction.

They wouldn't, though, not unless pressed beyond reason. These were cold and calculating intelligent beings, not random flailing monsters this world knew from before. They were already fighting. He could tell. It was quiet and under the surface, but Sir Michael's words of warning had said it as plainly as could be said. It was so far still a quiet fight, hidden deeply.

He would send them home tomorrow, but he could also tell that their presence here was part of the fight. They wouldn't leave kindly or politely if asked to go before they were ready to, but they also wouldn't stay longer than they had to. This was not the place they wanted to be either. It was merely a stop over place on their path to their goal. He could be patient, and in being patient protect that which he was sworn to protect.

Purrcy was focused on the space in front of her, then there was a glow and four cubes appeared in front of her. She handed them to the head of the stables, who thanked her with a bow. Her eyes swept the gathering and found Sergiad. He looked at her mildly, his many years of experience keeping his court mask on now without thought. He watched as she left the group and walked over to him. "I hope it will be sufficient, Sergiad," she said looking at him, her face relaxed, but her eyes almost desperate.

Sergiad bowed his head briefly. "It will have to be, won't it," he said quietly. Her faint signs of relief and despair told him all he need to know. She already knew. Knew she wouldn't be back, and wouldn't be allowed to teach the full class, and might not even get to put together the materials so they could attempt to study them. He would have to encourage his own men to experiment based on what she had been able to give them.

"I'll see they continue forward the best they can," he promised her. She gave him a nod, then was collected by her escorts. He turned and walked with them, next to Purrcy. "So, how much longer do you get to stay in Maihama?" he asked pleasantly.

"Four to five days," Tetora answered for Purrcy, though Sergiad knew their play. Two women had never shown up for dinner last night. He suspected they already knew he knew from before then, that they had never existed to begin with. It wasn't something that needed vocalizing.

"Can I keep you entertained that long?" Sergiad asked, keeping it playful.

"You're free to relax for part of that time," Purrcy said calmly. "We really just need a place to wait for other things to happen around us. I would like to have some time with Iselius, however, if I may. I thought he and I could go shopping in town, if it could be fit into his schedule. Not tomorrow, but perhaps the day after or the next day after that?"

Sergiad nodded. "Perhaps in three day's time." That would give them time to make sure the city was cleaned out of any spies from the shrine, though it wasn't likely they'd made the connection yet. He was still amazed that she just opened her mouth and said the very things that should normally be kept secret when she spoke to him. Perhaps she saw it as a way to show him honor, to not allow the lie to his face, but it often came across as cold and uncaring open abuse instead of use hidden by politeness.

"Thank you," Purrcy answered politely. "I'll be resting tomorrow morning in our rooms, so please don't worry about entertaining me then. I'm sure Nyanta can be found wandering about doing ambassadorial things, however, if you feel the need to continue to observe us the entire time we're here." Her eyes half-closed in a scold.

Sergiad hid his smile and politely said, "And what do I have to do that is more important than see that our honored guests are hosted properly?"

"Run a duchy?" Purrcy answered back with a raised eye ridge of whiskers.

"It is possible to do both at the same time," he answered back calmly.

Purrcy's whiskers twitched. He thought it was with a smile, actually. "Delegation and well trained staff are a pleasure indeed," she agreed. He turned his head away to let the smile out, as it wouldn't stay put. "But I do think you should try to get some of the things only you can do done tomorrow morning."

"Excuse me," Tetora interrupted politely. Purrcy nodded at him. "The following day, we will all rest away from the eyes of the court, if we may be allowed to be so rude. We've set one day out of seven that we rest in order to be able to have the strength to perform what needs to be done the rest of the days."

Sergiad looked at Tetora for a moment. He'd surely received an order somehow in the manner of Adventurers to have said such a thing only just now. That day and the following had been free, unplanned, and when he'd allowed for Purrcy to go out with Iselius in three day's time, it had set something so that the activity of the second day from now was suddenly set itself.

Sergiad nodded thoughtfully. It was taken as acceptance of the day of rest, which was sufficient. He would have to see that his spies were set to watch them closely that day, to see if they would all really stay in their rooms, or if they now had a reason to escape the city secretly and go elsewhere to perform a specific act towards their own hidden goal. He tamped down his irritation at being used as the excuse. He'd been paid today, but that didn't mean they were going to leave today. It had just been convenient to fit it into the schedule at this time.

He clasped his hands behind his back and looked off in the distance, waiting for the conversation to turn again. At least Purrcy was a witty enough conversationalist to hold his interest rather than make the entire thing a drudgery. And he was enjoying continuing his research. As she'd said in Akiba - it was keeping him young to have fun at their expense. It even tickled him that they knew he was and didn't care, but rather played along with him at his game.

Thinking that made him sigh though. They all also understood completely well that underneath it wasn't a game at all. Still, one had to keep it light somewhere or the drudgery of life overwhelmed. They understood it, so together they played and laughed while they could.

-:-:-:-:-

"I'm so glad the tunnel lets out close to Port Sharpcliff," Marielle stretched in the sun, breathing in a deep breath of outside air. She turned to look at Naotsugu with a critical eye.

They'd ended up staying the night in the Depths of Palm. They hadn't seen any more Plague Rats. They weren't sure if it was because they were supposed to disappear when the boss was defeated until the next set of Adventurers entered and the dungeon reset, or if it was because they'd gone into hiding. It would be tested when Michitaka entered on his way back to Akiba. Marielle looked at the Monk. "Thanks again, Michitaka-kun, for taking care of us."

The big man waved it off. "As along as we're keeping to the proper schedule, time to heal's a good thing. We got the bridge done, so we can get home easy enough. Are we walking?" he asked Naotsugu.

Naotsugu shrugged. "If you're up for it, or we could use the horses, but it's not really far enough to bother with that either." He turned his upper body to the left, then the right, stretching his own muscles. "There's something about being in a mountain dungeon that makes you feel like you've been carrying the whole mountain the whole time you've been there."

"Well, you did, for all practical purposes," Marielle shot back at him. For all he'd recovered in his stats, she was still worried about him. He really should have been dead, and hadn't even budged in his stats no matter what she'd tried until she'd gotten him to wake up enough to take the potions.

They'd talked about it again, and he'd suggested that maybe it had been a reaction to his desire to give what he had to her, and his body wouldn't take healing from her personally because he was so worried about her. While that might have been, that made her worry he wouldn't ever be able to take healing from her again.

This playing around with other magics was making her just a little irritable and more than a little worried. It didn't seem to be a good thing, though she was trying hard to not pass judgment yet. They'd tried it without being trained, after all. It could be that with sufficient careful training it would be okay, but for now she'd leave well enough alone and stick to what she already knew.

She took another deep breath, turning her face to the sun to soak up what warmth it had. It was mid autumn now, so the sun was weaker, particularly here in the northern parts of the Archipelago, but it was still sun. She was startled by a light kiss on her cheek. "The Flower of Akiba finally getting to see the sun again," Naotsugu said quietly in her ear as his strong arms wrapped around her shoulders and waist. That was nice, but since she was already worried about him, it made her worry about his mental state.

"It is nice to be in the sun again," she agreed, putting her smile on. She took his hand in hers and moved out of his embrace to start them walking hand in hand down the path after the rest of their party. "Are you going to participate in the negotiations?"

"No, though I'll be there as a guard," he answered. "Do you want to stand in as one, too?"

"Who are we guarding?" Marielle asked, thinking Michitaka certainly didn't need guarding.

"Purrcy," Naotsugu said with a smile in his eyes. "Michitaka's asked if she'll participate in the negotiations and Shiroe wants it anyway. She's got bonuses in such situations. Plus, it's her pet project so she may as well."

Marielle blinked at Naotsugu, trying to wrap her brain around that. "Naotsugu...how's she going to do that? She didn't come with us."

When he was quiet for a while, like he was trying to decide if he should say, she added quietly, "What is she really, Naotsugu? There have been so many things put out about what she is - from a werecat, to a ninetails, to a Game Moderator - yet none of them are everything. I'd say she was a powered up Observer come to help Shiroe, she knows so much and can do so much, but I'm not sure I can even believe that."

Naotsugu sighed and rubbed his head. "You've a right to know, Marie, particularly since you'll be part of the family, but it's a burden, too, ...and so super top secret we've been trying to protect you as long as possible." He gave her a sorry, sympathetic look, "We all know how hard it is for you to keep secrets under pressure. We don't want you to get hurt."

Marielle considered it seriously, but she was already feeling rather serious from the dungeon and the final battle. Finally she shook her head. "I need to know, Naotsugu. I can't keep playing any more, not about this, not when it comes to you."

She looked at him earnestly. "I know I'm flighty and would prefer to have fun, but really, when it comes down to it, I am an adult. I know life gets hard, and real life isn't all fun and games. If we don't know important things we can go off in directions that get us into trouble. I need to be able to support you so you can support Shiroe properly. I think it's time for me to hear it so I can do those things. I'll keep my mouth shut outside the family. I can do that."

Naotsugu looked at her closely, then slipped his fingers between hers and slowed their walking speed down so that they fell back even farther behind the people they were following. Quietly he told her everything about Purrcy and she listened silently until he was done, taking it all in.

When he was done, she took her time to sort it all out, putting the different experiences she'd had with Purrcy into their slots of which part of her had probably been present. "When she snuck out to Crescent Moon and scolded us, who was that?" she asked him. That was important and she wasn't sure she could tell.

"I wasn't there, but it was probably Purrcy - Hahaue. That's who talked to me after that to scold me," he said. "But I would agree it feels like some of the other is there as well. I've been wondering if that's the Priestess, actually. The Priestess is pretty hard nosed, but is also an aspect of Inari. I'm not sure why the god would want to make sure things are properly set in the guild and in Akiba, though. I haven't asked Shiroe that specific question, but I'll bet he knows the answer."*(See Note.)

Marielle nodded and went back to thinking. "I'm going to have to keep this secret from Henrietta, aren't I?" Naotsugu nodded and apologized, but she'd just wanted the confirmation. She'd already guessed it.

That would be the hardest. She'd let things slip she shouldn't, but Purrcy was already so confusing she could just continue that confused state in front of Henrietta and it would probably pass. And if it didn't she could send Henrietta to Shiroe for the answer. He'd know if she should have it, and be able to shut her down if not. "It's really sad, isn't it?" she finally said.

"Yes," Naotsugu said simply, "and there are some of us that have to fight the anger all over again. Tetorō and Michael in particular. They work the closest with her and it's a struggle for them some days. When the sub-guild figured it out we had almost a week of stepping on eggshells. Their heritage and the experiences they've already had here make it particularly hard for them, but keeping them busy helping us move forward helps."

"They didn't know before they signed on?" she asked.

"Not the full extent," Naotsugu shook his head. "They knew enough to already be committed. Michael knew a lot of it, but he didn't know about the god." Naotsugu took his hand back long enough to put that arm around her shoulders.

Timidly Marielle asked, "Is it really a god? Or is it part of the game structure, too?"

Naotsugu shook his head. "It's awfully hard to tell. Shiroe's calling them by programmed construct names because that's how they seem to act and react. I mean, it is all based on a program to begin with. Well written artificial intelligences can get pretty close to real intelligence, but they have holes and lack creativity. With my limited experience, I see those present, too, but I'm not a programmer to know for sure."

He looked at her significantly. "On the other hand, this _is_ a real world, even if it's based on our game. Something created it somehow. How a world is born is something we don't know."

Marielle chewed on her lip for a bit, then finally sighed. "Thanks for telling me, Naotsugu. I think it will help me be able to support everyone better."

Naotsugu nodded, then said, "So, since I can't be there while you're planning the wedding, is there anything you want me around to plan for? We could talk about that." His eyes were on the path in front of them.

Marielle glanced ahead and could see the rest of their party had stopped to wait for them. They'd fallen rather far behind. She obediently started up that as the next topic so that when they reached the rest they could hear something they could hear.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe looked like the consummate young business owner talking on a cell phone with his underlings, is what Akatsuki thought. He was dressed as smartly as ever when he went out in public, was sitting at an outdoor cafe with his coffee in front of him, his lunch plate empty, and was sitting back in his pose that spoke volumes about how well in control he was of his world. His hands were relaxed in his lap, one leg draped elegantly over the other knee, his eyes distant yet shining, as if he was looking at the person he was talking to, though they were on the other end of a chat.

"I'm glad you've agreed to assist with the merchant quest, Ministers. I'll have Nakalnad get in touch with you. Please try to have the train and the required personnel to Akiba Port as soon as possible. I'd prefer no later than five days from now. ...I'm sure you can do it just fine. Thank you. Get in touch with Calasin if you have any further questions. He's the Akiba point of contact for this quest."

Shiroe's eyes returned to the local space and sparkled at her. She perked up. "They don't like being pushed to move quickly, but that's more than enough time. Any more than that and they'll starting putting so much product on the train the people won't fit."

He picked up his cup and took a few swallows. On it's way back down to the table he said, "Besides, I don't want to sit wasting time in Nakasu. We should be well and done with negotiations by then, and if we're not, I'll want the back up forces behind me to make my point."

His eyes went distant again, but this time it was probably to review his plan. He didn't say anything to anyone so it wasn't a chat. A perfect business owner.

Her own warnings went off, the air currents shifting to say someone was approaching their location and she shifted, then stood at attention at Shiroe's shoulder. Shiroe returned to the present, looking up. "Nakalnad."

The Guardian head of Plant Hwayden's perpetual scowl whenever he had to do business with Shiroe was on his face yet again, and just as quickly it was gone as he landed in the seat one quarter turn from Shiroe. Akatsuki decided that was close enough she'd pay extra close attention to Nakalnad. She'd have to move extra quick to get between them if he decided to suddenly attack her guildmaster. "We'll go, though why I want to spend up to a month with you I have no idea."

"Twenty-four will be enough," Shiroe said calmly.

"That's half last time," Nakalnad argued.

"Yes, but I've got to leave room for whomever wants to come from the Nakasu Defense Front, and I've already got half from Akiba. The juniors who had to sit out the Akiba Maze of Life have been promised seats, too."

"How are you going to get the Hackers in without having them in the final mirror room?" Nakalnad was still on that, too, but it was perhaps understandable.

"We're going to have them sit on the bench until we need them. We only get to take in a legion's worth of people, but this world doesn't care what the name on those numbers is. We'll rotate through as we go," Shiroe explained his plan.

"You mean you're taking more than ninety-six," Nakalnad's eyes narrowed. Shiroe nodded. "Then I'll bring thirty-six."

Shiroe paused as if to consider it, then nodded. "Fine. Make sure you have at least one full party of Technologists. We're likely to be there for repairs a lot longer than last time. I'd appreciate having at least the ones that came last time so we have people who know what they're supposed to do with us."

Nakalnad nodded. "They've already said they'll come. Will you have enough Hackers?" Shiroe just looked at him, but he'd already gone off on a tangent. "And what the heck are you going to do about rounding up all the Vengeful Spirits?"

Shiroe shook his head. "I think that's already been taken care of for us. They were probably scattered all over the place."

"You think we'll get to skip that part?" Nakalnad asked, both hopeful and a bit incredulous.

"Yes. As I said, I think the Overwritten are already inside. I think they've taken care of that. Either they collected the spirits of the Adventurers when they took them out to begin with, or they've sent the lesser Overwritten to collect them.

"They can't get past the mirror room without the spirits after all. If they haven't collected them, I don't want them to. It's not like we _want_ them to get to the Tree itself. Once we've cleared out the Overwritten if we have to go on that sub-quest, we will. I think getting rid of them needs to be the first priority."

Nakalnad nodded agreement and sat silent for a bit. "When do we go?"

"I've told the Ministry of Finance we want the train at the Akiba Port in five days. Be on the train or walk, but be there the same time. As soon as the train's on the Ocypete I want it on the way. Connect up with Isaac when you get to Akiba. He's coming, too, and is the point of contact there," Shiroe instructed.

"Will it be a mixed group again?" Nakalnad wanted to know.

"Yes. Heavy on Knights of the Black Sword, but some of D.D.D. wants in and a few from Honesty. West Wind Brigade's been invited since they don't get out as often, but I don't know if they'll come or not. Speaking of which, you're welcome to invite any of Kazuhiko's that want to come, as well as any top fighters in town that aren't from you're own inner circle. You may find it helps smooth out past bad feelings."

He didn't look at Nakalnad as he said the last, but he did let a heavy pause underline it. Akatsuki saw it made its mark sufficiently before Shiroe continued. "We're hoping for a few from Silver Swords and Susukino, too, to round it out and make it a full Yamato Adventurer group raid going over to help out."

"...All in the name of friendly international relations," Nakalnad said dryly, sitting back in his seat, his eyes closing partially. "You really intend to do it, don't you?"

Shiroe raised an eyebrow slightly. "Do what?"

"Take over Yamato and the world."

"I'd like to see all Adventurers working together, remembering we came to this place with a common reason. What I said at the joint meeting hasn't changed, Nakalnad. This is one of those things to see it move forward." Shiroe's negotiator's face was on, saying nothing, staying pleasant and his posture calm and in control. "I think you've been on top here long enough to know just how _un_ pleasant it can get being the one everyone yells at just because they think you're at the top of the complaint chain."

Nakalnad looked away, a look of distaste on his face, but it faded to one of contemplation. "You know, it's still like running a regular guild, though. You fix the hardest problems, smooth feathers, make suggestions people can follow through on...and as you say, delegate," he looked back at Shiroe. "But yeah," he stood up, "that also means you end up swamped and overwhelmed with minutia. I'll watch you while we're out and see if I can pick up any tips."

His eyes said he'd be watching for more than that and Akatsuki felt bad for Shiroe. He wouldn't be able to relax much at all on this trip, not that he got to really ever anyway. "We'll see you when the ship gets down there. Try to have the negotiations done by the time we're there. I find it difficult to apologize to anyone."

"Not really, you're just not practiced with the words," Shiroe said mildly. Nakalnad looked back at him in surprise. "You do it with actions since that's what you're familiar with. Just ask Purrcy. I think she'd agree you apologized quite well. It takes a strong leader to take his men back into a dungeon that just defeated them for the fourth time for people they don't even know, but who they wanted to make up to."

Nakalnad stared at Shiroe for a long while. " _Sht_ ," he turned away abruptly, but waved his hand in farewell without looking back as he strode off back into the market crowd.

Akatsuki allowed herself to relax slightly. "Well, I think that went well," Shiroe said calmly.

"He seems like under normal circumstances he would be frightening," Akatsuki commented. "You're very good to face him so calmly."

Shiroe shook his head, reaching for his cup again. "I only get through by imagining him as a twelve year old on the other side of the computer screen. It helps me know how to face him, then."

Akatsuki's mouth dropped open. "You - you don't really think... he's _that_  young?"

Shiroe glanced up at her face, his eyes laughing. "Perhaps not...but it works."

Akatsuki smiled back. It was funny. Shiroe's cup paused, then his other hand was reaching for her. She froze slightly, but he kept moving until he'd caught her around the neck. He pulled her to him and kissed her, right here in broad daylight, in the middle of a cafe - the young businessman handling his bodyguard as if they were lovers. She blushed a brilliant, hot red. "You can relax now," he whispered to her. "Business is done."

She slumped in utter defeat. "Yes, Shiroe." His hand slid down to catch her hand and pull her to sit next to him, and he didn't let it go, even as he returned to his interrupted motion to drink his coffee.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy was ready for a nap. Each day had been very full and this had just been another one of them, but she was tired. Teaching surgical techniques, then verbally sparing with Sergiad and having to be under his scrutiny until nearly tea time - it had been too much already.

They were headed back to their suite when they passed a covered gazebo where many young ladies were talking and twittering, as if it were a filled birdcage. Her eyes tiredly took note of the group, then went back and stopped on one bird who wasn't twittering, and who looked like he was going to explode. Eagles weren't meant to be locked up in cages with canaries.

"Michael's been invited to a ladies tea - and took them up on it?" she asked in complete surprise, bringing their party to a stop.

Tetorō got a teasing look on his face. "I think they've been trying to corner him for some time. It looks like he finally lost." Schedules and Training didn't look too sympathetic either.

"The lot of you are better suited to that than he is, not to mention would probably like the attention more," she scolded them. "Come along - _all_  of you." They suddenly looked uncertain.

"But, Lady Purrcy, you're tired," Tetorō tried to talk her out of it as he trailed after her, the present lady in waiting again. He even wrung his hands properly, she noticed. That had been enough to get the attention of the closest young ladies and eyes fastened on the two male guards reluctantly following Purrcy. Purrcy was paying attention, but her eyes were on Michael. If he didn't want rescuing, she'd just say hello and move on.

"I just wanted to let you know, Sir Michael," she said to him as soon as she was in the entry way of the gazebo, "that I'm done with my requirement to the Duke for the day. When you can manage to free yourself from your adoring fans, perhaps you would be so kind as to return to the suite?"

He was on his feet instantly. "I'm sure you should have your proper guard when walking about the castle, my lady. Please excuse me. Duty calls," he said to the young women around him. "Thank you for your hospitality." He moved to join Purrcy, trying to keep the relief off his face.

"I'm sure I don't need everyone just to walk me back to my rooms," she said in return and he froze. "These have been following me all morning as well and I'm sure they could use some time to enjoy the beauty of Maihama's grand castle." She smiled brightly at the ladies in the gazebo. "Really, for me to take your guest so forcefully, perhaps you'd be willing to entertain these three instead?"

"Really, my lady, I should see to you in your chambers," Tetorō protested.

"No, you've also been working very hard. Gretchen can see to my needs when I arrive. Please, I insist that you also have the opportunity to rest," Purrcy refused. She took Michael's arm. "Shall we?" She walked off with him without looking back. Tetorō gave a final quiet protesting sound, then was pulled into the center of the gazebo with the two guards.

When they were far enough away, Michael looked at her, completely confused, and finally asked, "Is there a reason you're punishing them? What did Tetorō do?"

"Nothing, except they all laughed at you for getting caught in that situation yourself. I thought a brief lesson in laughing at a situation that they could be caught in themselves would be useful.

"Tetorō's better off in that kind of situation as a female. He likes to be the center of attention, but he would confuse the women as a man wanting to do that. If it were a dance, it would be another matter." She pondered on that. "Maybe I'll let him be the young dandy at the youth ball tonight."

"Won't they think it odd that they are both so similar, having seen him on the same day as her?"

"Maybe," Purrcy shrugged. "Do you think it would be better tomorrow? I could send those other two tonight. You'll be next to me tonight as punishment for being found in that situation in the first place today."

Michael groaned. "I was _in_  it as punishment."

Purrcy looked at him in surprise. "You were?"

Michael looked away, then rubbed his forehead. "And it's only going to get worse, now." He looked at his elbow, and her arm through it, then firmly took her hand and moved it off his elbow. He moved sideways a half step and put his hands behind his back.

"Michael!" Purrcy scolded. "Why has Nyanta put you in punishment?"

He looked away, his face flushing slightly, and refused to answer her. She finally turned away from him. "Well, if it's between men, and I'm not to know, then I guess I won't press the issue, but really."

They'd reached the suite. Michael opened the door for her and bowed her in. Purrcy swept into the room, then was brought up short. Nyanta was turning to face her. She'd not expected him to be in the room, since he was usually out on his own business. She curtsied to him. "Nyanta. I've returned for a brief nap. The Duke has only just now released me and I'm afraid I'm quite exhausted following that and the surgery lesson."

Nyanta's eyes had taken her in, and then slipped to Michael. There was a pause, then he asked, "Where are the others?"

"I traded them for Michael because they were rude and he looked in need of rescue."

"I see," Nyanta looked back at her. "Have a good nap."

"Thank you," she curtsied again and walked for their bedroom.

Behind her, she heard Nyanta say, "Michael-nyan, perhaps mew could show me where mew've been holding morning sword purractices."

She swallowed, hoping that the social punishment wasn't being traded for a beating. She really had no idea what could have happened that would cause such severe punishments. Everyone knew how to play their parts for this. Had something been misunderstood by the court that needed open correction?

If that was the case, she had made it worse by walking off with Michael alone. She sighed sadly as she closed the door softly behind her. As soon as she could, she was apologizing to Michael in the code realm. He kindly patted her on the head, but still wouldn't say anything about it.

-:-:-:-:-

When everyone gathered again after the required dinner activities it was a quiet affair since Purrcy didn't know what she could say to whom, and three of the five juniors were still a bit miffed at her. Before they could leave the common room, she worked up her courage and called to them. "Everyone," they turned to look at her. She bowed properly. "I'm sorry for not being properly aware of myself."

The juniors looked at each other, but Michael and Nyanta only looked at her. She winced inside, but held still. "Purrcy," Nyanta said, "beginning tonight I will also be teaching mew, but rapier rather than sword, before mew learn too many things that will bring errors to the rapier. Please be purrepared for the lessons to begin at ten-thirty tonight."

She bowed humbly, "Yes, Nyanta." He flicked an ear at the bedroom door and she went. He followed after about five minutes later and gave her her scolding in private.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Naotsugu's forgotten that happened at the beginning of the fourth level - the Plant Hwayden arc. It was Indicus, the Puppet Master, "setting the flighty blond guildmistress of Akiba straight" and trying to create conflict between the sister guilds. Purrcy then had to do her part to fix it later with Naotsugu. Nureha helped then, feeling like she had to do her part since Indicus had butt in.


	40. Well Meant Acts, Unintended Consequences

"Good morning, KR. Are you ready to go, then?" Shiroe asked the Summoner.

"Sure," KR said with a shrug. "But I'd rather know why you're taking me for this part. It's not normally part of my job description." They'd been waiting for him just outside the gate to Maihama. He was dressed as flamboyantly casual as ever, his flip flops slapping against his heels as he walked with them, Shiroe not having waited for his answer to get them going away from the city.

"You can still summon Purrcy?" Shiroe asked.

KR almost tripped on his own feet, stumbling with a hop for a few steps. He stared at Shiroe. "Why? ...I mean, yes, but why would I want to?"

Shiroe let him recover a little longer before answering. The others were listening closely as well. "We're going up against high level Overwritten this trip. Any of us could die." He looked at KR to see if he could understand from just that. He definitely worked to understand it. "Remember, the Overwritten can get to the monster database."

KR blinked. "She's in there?"

Shiroe nodded. "She has to be, to be a Summon. We can only summon monsters."

"What do you want me to do then?" KR pressed him.

"When she dies - and she probably will if she has to build up too big a spell against too large an opponent - I want you to summon her immediately, so they don't have time to hitch a ride and come back down with her. I'll tell you when to prepare the spell and when to cast it. The timing will be a bit tricky. I'm putting you in my party so I can control her through you once she's back."

KR put his hands behind his neck and looked at the tree tops. "Okay, I can do that. But why do I have to come on this part of the trip with you?"

"Because it was easier to tell you now, and because I wanted you to. Were you doing something important?" Shiroe asked it in innocent concern.

KR looked away, then shrugged. He knew he wasn't going to get a real answer at this point and Shiroe knew full well he wasn't considered that important to the Minami Ministry. Plus Shiroe knew KR was the one who was keeping the unrest going down south of them to entertain himself. It really was his place to be the one to set things straight and apologize.

-:-:-:-:-

"Are you coming, Naotsugu?" Marielle called back to him down the hall. The party was headed down from their rooms in the inn to breakfast below in the dining room.

"Yeah, give me a sec." He'd almost forgotten his duty of the morning, though he couldn't have done it in front of his roommates anyway. "I forgot something." He ducked back into his room and pulled out the Summon card of Purrcy's, touched the paw print on it and said, "Purrcy, it's about time." He slipped it back where it belonged and headed back out the door. Nyanta had already told him she would show up somewhere safe, not necessarily in the location he'd called from.

Marielle was still waiting for him, a worry wrinkle on her forehead. He scooped an arm around her and kissed her forehead. She didn't say anything, and the worry wrinkle didn't go away. He put his mouth close to her ear. "Just calling Purrcy." That cleared up her wrinkle and she smiled and let him lead her down to breakfast.

They'd been served their breakfast when the door to the inn opened, like it had repetitively as customers went in and out, and a felinoid walked in. She waved off the waitress, looked around and headed for the table full of Adventurers. Marielle saw her first and bounced up from her chair to grab her in a hug. "Purrcy! It's so good to see you, hon!"

Purrcy returned the hug gently. "It's good to see you, too, Marie."

Naotsugu stood and pulled over another chair to their table, purposefully putting it between himself and Marielle. "Have you eaten yet?" he asked politely.

"Yes, thank you," she answered as she looked around the table. "Michitaka," she nodded at the guildmaster.

"Good morning," Michitaka answered back. She sat and Marie and Naotsugu sat down again to return to eating. She waved off the server who came questioning if she needed anything. "Are you a ghost again today? Not eating anything."

Purrcy's whiskers twitched up. "No. It's just that we have early mornings where we are. Breakfast was an hour ago for us."

"How go the practices?" Naotsugu asked to keep the conversation flowing.

"Tetorō and I are now up to about level fifty-three in Swordsman, and Nyanta's got me started on Rapier, so I'm doing that, too. That's new, though, so I'm only at level twenty there."

Naotsugu blinked at her and Marielle's mouth dropped open, but Naotsugu caught himself and shook his head at Marielle quickly. Marielle obediently returned to her eating, but she kept watching Purrcy with wide eyes. "And how's the Grand Duke and the court?" Naotsugu asked.

Purrcy sighed. "I stepped into a hole I didn't know I was going to, so we're having to fix that, but otherwise it's going well enough, I suppose. The Duke's been kind to keep us, but he's ready for us to leave. He keeps having to bite his tongue to not ask it outright. Having us out of the public eye for most of today and all of tomorrow will help, and he's given me permission to take Iselius out into town the next day, so we may all survive until it's time to leave."

Naotsugu looked at her closely. "Purrcy, when's the last time someone pet you?"

Purrcy barely raised an eyebrow at him. "I don't know, Naotsugu," she answered. "Probably since we were at the guild hall. We're under observation all the time, you know." She was looking pointedly at the rest of the people at the table, bringing Naotsugu back to that same realization.

His ears turned a bit red, but he didn't apologize - just took another bite of his breakfast. That wasn't good. She'd been depressed before they left. To have it get worse wasn't going to help anyone. He'd see if there was a way to fit it in today. If not, then the next time he called her. Marielle would appreciate that, too.

There was a bit of quiet, and then Michitaka said, rather off-handedly, "I've heard that the halves of the People of the Land spend just as much time full as half."

The three glanced up at him. "So Nyanta learned," Naotsugu said calmly.

"Really?" Marielle asked, as innocent as ever. She hadn't been told. Naotsugu nodded. Marielle turned to Purrcy. "Do you know how to do that?" That wasn't so innocent, but it followed along as if it was.

Purrcy looked at Marielle. "Yes, actually I do. I've taught Nyanta, and we helped Nazuna. It freaked her out to suddenly change on her own during the Plague and getting back out of it is a bit more complicated than going into it. She was quite relieved to learn how to get it under control."

Michitaka was looking extremely interested. "Can you teach others, then?"

Purrcy was cautious. "I think if you've got others from your guild who ran into that problem, you could have them ask Nazuna if she'd help them. I'm pretty busy right now. And...you might want to pass it by Shiroe first to see if everyone knowing how to do it suddenly is going to be a problem. I'm thinking security, mostly. I'm sure the city doesn't need someone shoplifting and being able to get away with it because it's just the neighborhood dog that's seen walking away."

That at least got him to slow down and think. He nodded and closed his mouth. He'd be proper in how he handled it now, Naotsugu decided, having paused in his eating long enough to make that determination. He wondered a bit at Purrcy being willing to admit it, though. He wondered if that's what had gotten her into trouble at Maihama. If she was less restrained because she wasn't under Shiroe's watchful eye, that could be a problem. He should probably follow up on that before it got worse.

Marielle pushed her empty plate away and looked at Purrcy. "Will you show me?" she asked and patted her lap gently under the table. Naotsugu almost blurted in surprise but she gave him a look that said she knew what she was doing.

Purrcy was looking just as surprised, her ears pricked forward at Marielle. "Wouldn't that be rather rude, right here in public?" Purrcy asked her.

"Well, if the People of the Land are used to it, I wouldn't think so. We're the only Adventurers in the room." Marielle paused, then said, unsure, "But if you think it would be better to wait...."

There was a rumbling chuckle from Michitaka. "Marielle, you like cats?"

Marielle turned red. "Well, I do, but...it just seemed to me that Purrcy looks like she needs a bit of a break." She turned to Purrcy. "Really, Purrcy, you do look quite strung out. Are you really okay?"

Purrcy blinked at her. "How does a felinoid look different with any emotion, Marie?"

Even Naotsugu almost choked on a laugh. "Purrcy," Marie scolded lightly, "you are the most expressive felinoid I know, yet here you sit as stiffly as if you've been told you're not to relax at all for the next two weeks."

Purrcy blinked at her, then said slowly, "I have been, Marie."

"Surely not!" Michitaka exclaimed. That surprised all three of them. "You have work to do, but that doesn't mean you're supposed to hold yourself so restrained the whole time."

Purrcy very cautiously said, "Michitaka, I appreciate your concern, but I really have been. I've even just been scolded last night for forgetting it again. I've put Nyanta and Michael into a difficult position at the court for not thinking properly."

Marielle put her hand on her hip and huffed angrily. "Well, isn't that because you can't even relax a little there? You do just fine when you have time to relax around the edges. Come sit in my lap right now so I can help you or you'll not be fit to sit with Michitaka at all. Stupid Machiavelli," she muttered. "And probably stupid Nyanta-san, too, if he's been ignoring you again." That got a raised eyebrow from Michitaka but they ignored that. "And why hasn't Tetorō been doing his job?"

Purrcy shook her head. "He can't. I had to have two ladies in waiting and he got picked to be one of them. He's already too close for Nyanta's comfort."

The others blinked at her. "He's being _that_ jealous?"

Purrcy finally slumped and nodded abjectly and wouldn't look at anyone. "He's not wrong," she said softly. "I don't know how to notice I'm stepping over those boundaries. I'm so used to a casual family that he's trying to help me learn to see --"

Marielle had had enough. Her hand was over Purrcy's mouth and her eyes were sparking. "Now, Purrcy! You will go to cat now, and you will let me pet you. That is just too much." Purrcy finally relented under the stern demand and shifted to be a cat on the chair between them. Naotsugu checked quickly to see that she'd kept her personal stats instead of letting them switch over to werecat. She had, he was relieved to see.

Marielle picked her up gently and cuddled with her for a moment, then settled her into her arm and began petting her. Purrcy put her head down on Marielle's arm, then, as the petting started to do it's work, moved to shove her head into Marielle's elbow as her body began to shiver. Marielle looked up at Naotsugu, worry on her face.

He looked back sympathetically. "I'll talk to Shiroe," he promised quietly, "but it may not help. She may just have to get through the rest of the week. Once we're on the ship and all together again, it will likely go back to how it was."

He wasn't sure though. Things felt different this time, like things were starting to change, now that they were moving forward. It would probably be a good thing to talk directly with Tetorō, too. If Purrcy was having this much trouble, he would be in the same state.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy didn't really come back to being herself, but they hadn't really expected her to. Michitaka's conversation with her on the walk to the Governor's house helped her get back into the frame of mind she needed to be in for the negotiation, mostly because he talked about what their strategy would be, but also because he was kind and supportive.

Every now and then Purrcy would glance at Naotsugu. He stayed calm, as always. If she needed an anchor, he could do that. It was hard to see her not knowing where to settle, though. They probably should have waited to get her to relax until after the negotiation was over. He hoped it would go okay. It would be best if she could remember her own excitement for the project before they walked in.

When there was a break in the conversation, Naotsugu stepped into it. "Michitaka, are the blacksmiths excited to be doing something different?"

Michitaka considered it. "I think so," he answered positively. "It was getting stifling back in Akiba, it seemed to me. Here, they'll have room to swing their hammers without getting in each other's way. It should be productive, too, and I've overheard them discussing other products that could be off-shoots. One of them is beer and wine barrels," he grinned at Naotsugu. "If we could get craft alcohols shipped with the rest of the products, that might be the most lucrative business we do."

Naotsugu grinned back. "I can imagine." He was glad to see Purrcy's ear twitch.

"Umm," she interjected, "do you think...they'd be willing to create large casks, like one and a half to two stories tall?"

They blinked at her and she shrugged a little. "The Giants like their drink. It would be almost shots for them at that size even, but...that might smooth the relationship with them, if we could trade in alcohol." She frowned a little. "It might be more than our crafters can produce, though, as far as alcohol volume."

She looked at Michitaka a little tiredly. "Well, consider it. It's not something we can have ready to take with us this week, but if we can get any Giants to come down and help, they might be able to pry open the door for us. I've heard alcohol and chocolate are the best ways to get to a person's heart and wallet."

"You've only heard it?" she was teased.

"I don't drink," she answered. "Though I like chocolate well enough."

"Is it so important really, to get the Giants involved?" Michitaka asked her.

Purrcy nodded. "Michitaka, you know I'm the Caretaker, right?" He nodded. "They're about to go extinct. The environment is harsh on any creature, that freezing cold and icy land. They were built to handle it, since the game put them there, but it's not working out so well now it's become reality. Over two-thirds of their children are stillborn, and half of the living ones die in the first year.

"The mothers are trying to keep them alive the best they can, sometimes by having them sleep in bed with them - a bad idea I'm sure you can understand - and sometimes by leaving them as close as they dare to the fireplace. That doesn't always work out so well either. If they can make it into the second year, their bodies start having proper coping mechanisms kick in, but no newborn is supposed to be that cold.

"They need to forgive and calm down and we need to stop fighting with them every time they try to move south. We need the negotiations to work or there will be one great final battle up here when they decide they are absolutely going to move south to warmer climates." She looked sadly at Michitaka. "You know as well as I that it will mean as certain a death for them all as if they stayed there and continued to die slowly to the elements."

She paused and kicked a small stone on the road. "Really, they only need to be allowed one city down here on the south tip where they can leave the mothers and children. Or maybe if they moved into the mountain over the Depths of Palm and helped keep the wyvern population under control, though I think that would make the People of the Land in that area far too nervous. But if they've got a relationship of negotiation and trade started on this island first, maybe it would work in a few generations, if they can start building up their population again. They're used to mountains already."

She sighed. "It's a long shot, I know, but I need to try. If they'll refuse and choose racial death, then there's nothing I can do about it." She looked back up at Michitaka, a wry smile on her face. "Besides, they really would be the best weapon against the larger sea monsters. After a few years, the waters should be fairly peaceful and they can go back to being land lubbers except the odd trip or two."

Michitaka folded his arms at her. "The Adventurers can handle them, though."

Purrcy nodded. "As long as we're still here."

The light went on for Michitaka and he nodded. "Right. You're taking care of them all, aren't you, for when we go home, too." Purrcy nodded.

They walked the rest of the way to the Governor's house in quiet contemplation, and when they brought up the Giants, they only talked about how they would be good fighters against the giant sea monsters. It was still too much to ask the People of the Land to accept them as brothers in arms in any way other than theory. They were all too happy to allow the Adventurers to open up a new blacksmith business near town, however.

They spent the rest of the morning and into the afternoon hunting for a place to purchase. They joined back up with the rest of the party, who had already begun hunting while they were gone to speak with the Governor. After a round of heated discussion on four favored locations over lunch, Purrcy handed over enough gold to the Cunie of the town to purchase the place on the spot.

Then she turned around and made it a loan to Michitaka. With a resigned sigh, he signed the contract. It was only proper business, and it should get paid off within three years, given the business. "I forgot you're also a businesswoman," he complained at her. She just smiled.

Naotsugu found an excuse for him to take Purrcy and Marielle off separately from the others and they went window shopping through the market district until Purrcy said she had to return. Marie held her tightly. "You take care of yourself, now. If you need to relax, you tell Nyanta-san to stuff it and go relax. He's pushing you too hard."

When she let go, Purrcy patted her on the head. "Thank you, Marie," she said.

Naotsugu gave her a hug, too. "Take care, Hahaue. We'll see you again in a few days." He released her before she could break down in tears again. She would need to return to Minami strong or even he would be in trouble.

As soon as she was gone, he led Marielle by the hand to a quiet garden place he'd seen on their walking through town. As he held her hand, he called Shiroe, then Nyanta, and finally Tetorō. He closed his eyes, then finally sent Michael a text chat. _Please contact me when you're alone, as soon as you can._

He looked at Marielle and she sighed sadly at him, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for trying. Maybe they'll at least pay closer attention now and try to let her do her best."

He slid his hand into the hair at the back of her neck and pulled her in for a kiss. "Thank you for caring. Hahaue needs as much of that as she can get right now. This is a difficult level of the dungeon for her."

"They've _all_ been difficult for her," Marielle complained. "When will she finally not have to go through all this?"

Naotsugu shook his head. "We haven't heard about the final boss yet. They're thinking this one is either a two-layer level, or there's another one after this one."

"She'll crack under the pressure," Marielle whined. "Why?"

"I don't know," Naotsugu said slowly. "I only know she's desperate, and Shiroe even more so. He's moved cautiously to make sure he understands this level before starting us on it, and now we're moving as quickly as we can. That's why they can't let up on her...but...," he sighed and let his fingers run through Marielle's curly blonde hair, feeling the softness of it. "The worst part," he whispered, "is that she's the one that set it all up. They're finding it difficult to be anything but hard on her because she's the one that required it."

"She didn't!" Marielle cried, then got real quiet too, "The god did, Naotsugu. Why does she have to pay that kind of price?"

Her pain was his and Tetorō's and even Shiroe's, and likely was why Nyanta was so angry as well. "I don't know, Marie," he shook his head, "I just don't know."

-:-:-:-:-

The Purrcy that returned to Maihama was quiet, cool, and perfectly restrained. It was almost frightening the difference between what she had been prior to the night before and what she was after that. Tetorō walked on eggshells. Michael and the guards were ignored. Nyanta was obeyed strictly, and there was no laughter.

Only Nyanta had approval in his eyes and slowly the others learned they were coming to hate him for it. Tetorō cracked first and went to Nyanta to cautiously feel him out and ask if perhaps she could be let loose a little, enough for her to relax just a little. He was refused.

Nyanta went with her the next day to watch over her on her one day of "rest" - the day she was being sent out to visit with her surgery requests, with the additional requirement to find the potion ingredients she needed for the rest of the potions she wanted to create. She admitted it would likely take a while and they might not want to expect them for dinner.

When they were gone, Michael went out to walk the garden and called Naotsugu back. He listened to Naotsugu's concerns, then was polite, but just as noncommittal as the rest. With some desperation in his voice, Naotsugu begged Michael to at least take care of her operative. That Michael could promise and did.

When he closed the chat, he closed his eyes, then called Tetorō. "Tetora, will you please come meet me in the garden, the one we've been practicing in?" He asked it pleadingly, knowing full well he was still under the eyes of watchful spies. They'd been doubled today.

"As Tetora?" Tetorō asked quietly in surprise.

"Please." He could complete two tasks at once that way. He stood at rest attention, not really looking at anything, so used to standing on his feet this way now that time hardly passed for him.

The light step on the grass brought him back to visual attention of his surroundings. Tetorō was looking around the area, doing his own sweep. When he arrived in front of Michael, a puzzled look on the female face, that wasn't all that different from his male face, Michael held out his hand. Tetorō took it, tilting his head quizzically.

Michael led the disguised man over to the bench at the back of the garden, hidden from passers by, and sat him down on it. He sat next to Tetorō, still holding his hand. "Tetora," he said quietly, "I know this has been very hard on you. Will you let me lend you my strength?"

Tetorō's eyes flew wide. He scanned the area again, counting one more time the three spies watching them. He shook his head as if confused, then blinked a few times. Before Michael was quite ready for it, the tears started to fall. He took Tetorō in his arms and held him, letting him sob.

As his own pain began to be released, he brushed Tetorō's head with his lips and relaxed with a sad sigh. When enough sorrow and weariness had been released to let the anger rise again, he whispered words of promised retribution to Tetorō as if whispering words of love for his ears only, and Tetorō's hand clenched on Michael's jacket as he trembled in his own anger and frustration. When he'd let enough out, Michael stopped speaking.

Finally Tetorō pushed himself up to look Michael in the face and Michael materialized a handkerchief and wiped his face for him. With a fierce look, Tetorō said quietly, but still loud enough to be heard by their watchers, "Promise it, Michael. Promise me you'll follow through. That all this pain won't be for nothing."

Michael put his hand on Tetorō's cheek and rubbed it lightly with his thumb. Staring him in the eyes, he soberly said, "I promise, Tetora. I will free the captive so that we don't have to be in pain any longer."

Tetorō held his eyes a long time, then closed his own eyes and nodded. Michael pulled him back to his chest for just a moment longer, then let him go. They held hands until they were close to the suite entrance. Michael let Tetorō go and had him go in first, standing outside the door as if waiting for enough time to pass to make it seem like they hadn't been together, then he finally went in.

He calmly sat on the couch and when Tetorō arrived next to him, he calmly let him sit as close as he wanted, and when he lay down to rest his head on Michael's lap, he only pet him gently a few times, then went back to his own thoughts. It wasn't hard to be a substitute Naotsugu today.

It _was_ hard to not wish Purrcy could be there, too. She needed the healing even more than Tetorō did. The tears that leaked out of Tetorō's eyes on occasion said he was thinking the same thing. Michael noted they came the same time his anger did and he finally took Tetorō's hand in his, interlacing their fingers and resting his arm on Tetorō's arm. In this way they kept their watch over their charge, being her emotions for her because she wasn't allowed any, and adding to the score the payment they would make her captor pay because of it.

The other four sat around them silently, also keeping their watch - both over the two in the room, and over the two who weren't present - and their silent fighting spirit also kept company with the anger that was rising.

-:-:-:-:-

Naotsugu walked into the bar that served as the headquarters of the Silver Sword guild, guildmaster William Massachusetts, elf and bowman extraordinaire. To see the elf again made Naotsugu remember Purrcy's comment that she had enjoyed _The Lord of the Rings_.

William was the ultimate recreation of Legolas, down to the grey eyes and silver hair, except _Elder Tales_ wasn't allowed to use Legolas' likeness so it was only as close as William had been able to get to given the templates they had. Likely Purrcy would love to meet him, but it would have to be some time from now. He was needed here, even if some of his men would come with them to China. Naotsugu wouldn't be calling for her again until he was already in place in the north.

When he sat down at the table across from William, the elf was looking seriously at him. "What's the matter, Naotsugu?"

Naotsugu paused, then realized he'd let his concern leak out too much on his face and he was far too serious for himself. He sighed. "Sorry. Got a concern that doesn't matter here. I'll try not to let it get in the way." He looked away for a bit to get himself under control.

A light hand fell on either shoulder and Marielle leaned over one of them. "Hi, again, William-kun. It's been a while."

"Hello, Marielle-san," William answered. He was younger than they were by a number of years. Though he carried himself with assurance and was an experienced guildmaster, he was still humbly respectful when he talked with them or with Shiroe. "Was your trip here sufficiently quiet?"

"Yes," she answered brightly as she moved to sit next to Naotsugu, taking his arm in hers. "It's rather like a reverse honeymoon, actually, getting to come up here before the wedding."

"When will it be?" William asked politely. "Has it been decided yet?"

"Well, Shiroe's asked us to be ready for some time after the Winter Festival in Minami, but no set date, yet." She twirled a blond curl on a finger. "He sometimes has interruptions he can't help, you know. He's asked for me to be ready on a moment's notice, but we're just as likely to get it postponed, knowing him."

William smiled slightly. "That would be like him. I understand Nyanta-san's worked about like that?"

The two nodded together. "We're hoping this won't be so bad, though," Marielle said. "He's given us enough time without setting dates that are sure to get broken. If he gives me three days - which he said would be the minimum warning - I can do it fairly easily." She leaned on her elbow on the table, although she still held on to one of Naotsugu's hands. "I'd like it to not get postponed _too_ long, though."

William looked away. "I can imagine not."

Naotsugu pulled her back to lean on him. Leaning forward for her was always deadly for men and she usually forgot that point. "So, William," Naotsugu said quietly, "what's it like to become the natural elf?"

William's eyes shot to him, then narrowed. "What do you know?" he asked.

"That we're all becoming more what we are. What does that mean for you? I've been watching Marie and I think I've got a grasp on what it means for a female elf. I'd like to know from the male side, too, so I can fit it all in the pattern." Now it was Marielle that stared at him in surprise.

"It's really subtle," William finally admitted quietly. "The emotions have dropped off. The aspect that elves live forever so they are calmer emotionally seems to be what it is. At the same time, when they do appear, they are far deeper than they should be. I've been standing outside, looking at a full moon shine on the snow and been moved to tears at the beauty and temporariness of it all.

"To some degree, that's helped with keeping things calm in the guild and city, but it still feels like I'm in someone else's skin sometimes. It also doesn't bother me so much that as Adventurers we can live forever in this state, but if something else dies, it's harder to take. That's not so helpful when we need to go out on raids or to dish out punishment. I have to be pretty stern with myself then."

Naotsugu nodded. "I wonder if that will affect one of the quests we have for you then?"

A raised eyebrow. "One? There's more than one?"

Naotsugu grinned. "Yes. But we don't expect you to put in a lot personally. We know you have a job to do here and limited resources. Shiroe would be happy if you wanted to generally let the Adventurers of Susukino know about them. Anyone can participate, really, except in one of them that does need to be assigned to you."

William nodded. "Do you need to eat still?" They nodded and he motioned to the serving girl, who bobbed her head and headed for the kitchen. "Eat first. We'll talk over wine after."

Naotsugu filed that under elvish behavior, too. Most Adventurers were talk during or talk first, even if they were being polite. William wasn't displaying any of the impatience he could have. Of course, he was one who didn't display much emotion anyway from the beginning unless he was being passionate. If anything, he was just becoming more what he already had been.

Naotsugu had to curb his own impatience. He wouldn't be leaving the city until morning and he could use some drinking time. He distracted himself by getting Marielle to ask questions and carry the conversation. That way he wouldn't open his mouth and say things when he shouldn't.

They were about done with eating when William asked, "How's Tetora?"

Naotsugu frowned. "That's a long and complicated story. I'm willing to tell it, but let me tell you the quests first."

William bowed his head. "Business before pleasure, of course." He waited for them to clean their plates. Naotsugu sorted the quests into what was probably the best order as he swallowed the last few bites.

"First is a fighting quest. We're putting together a legion raid made up of Adventurers from the entirety of Yamato. Shiroe'd like to see at least one party from Susukino. It doesn't have to be from your guild, though if you can get up to three parties that would be alright. They would need to leave tomorrow, though. We need them at the Akiba Port in three days. We're going to the continent to take care of two things." He leaned back, "The Overwritten and the Adventurer's they've cut the lines to, who have been spirits instead of resurrecting."

Williams' hand, resting on the table, curled into a fist and his face went hard. "I'll announce it first thing. You already know you won't get a lot of my own, but there are plenty here who are tired of fighting the Overwritten. This will take them down?"

"That's the goal. The worst of them are over there. We've learned how to slow them down. We'll teach it to anyone who comes." William gave a hard nod and waited for the next one. Naotsugu paused, then asked cautiously, "You know about the Goblin King quest down in Eastal?" He paused just long enough to get a positive response. "What's the equivalent quest up here?"

"Well...you'd think it was the Giants," William said, "but it isn't. There's a different creature that rears up once a year. We've learned to beat it back fairly quickly. This island isn't big enough for it, really, and they're dreadful nuisances." He wrinkled his nose. "Tanuki Gnomes, if you can believe it."

"No!" Marielle breathed. "But they're so cute."

William gave her a barely tolerant look. "Not when there's thousands coming for you and you're swinging your sword from sunup to sundown. If we don't take them out, they move into the houses even. And then they argue with you as to why you shouldn't remove them as pests, though it's limited intelligence."

"Then you might not mind it so much, this quest," Naotsugu was relieved on two counts. "We've been given a world-level quest to reduce the demihuman population so the real populations can begin to thrive again."

"Don't we already do that, by continuing to do these yearly quests?"

"It's a bit different. This time, they won't come back. Using blessed weapons of purification will purify the material they're made out of and they'll come back the way they were supposed to before the First World Fraction poisoned the world. Roleplaying priests and shrine maidens get bonuses to attack and can bless unblessed weapons. A blessed cursed weapon will lose the cursing over time for every demihuman taken out. If you've got thousands, I'd think your horrible flavor texts would be wiped out pretty quick.

"There's one catch," he made sure William was listening. "If you take out any monster with a blessed weapon of purification, with an intent to purify it, it won't come back. So if you accidentally use it in a dungeon or zone you need the drops in, you'll lose the drops because they won't be back to give it to you."

William blinked. "That might be bad, but it sounds very useful."

Naotsugu narrowed his eyes at William. "And you need to stop that thought right there. That's the third quest that we need you to handle personally, and it isn't what you're thinking." William pulled up short and stared at Naotsugu.

Naotsugu paused here. William had been heading a lot of raids against Giants who were getting worse, as Purrcy had said, at wanting to move south of the boundary mountains. "We've gotten a crazy quest request that's rather convoluted and based on the story I've promised you. I'd appreciate it if you could keep an open mind until it's all said."

A finger drummed once on the table. _Hit me. Play your card._ "The base quest is a merchant quest to open up a merchant line from here all the way to Europa, and then overseas to the Americas."

William's eyes went wide. "Three? Three world level quests?" Naotsugu nodded soberly. William sat trying to take it in. "Why? And why all at once?"

Naotsugu said, very seriously, "Because we want to go home. ...We've finally been told what it's going to take from all of us to get home - that's the final drop. The world isn't going to let us go until we've given it what it needs from us."

William took in a sharp breath and the whole room was still, ears that had already been listening now trained in on Naotsugu. It was all William's guild so it didn't bother Naotsugu they were listening. "And what's our part?"

"I was just in Port Sharpcliff with Michitaka. He's putting in a blacksmithy and production line for specially prepared chests, and they're thinking of adding casks for alcohol to that as well. The chests can't be broken into and can't be stolen. That way the cargo will reach where it needs to go safely. The facility needs regular protection. The Akiba shipyard's received orders for four new oceanliners and Minami's trainyard for at least one more train, and two if they can get them. I'm sure more would be used if they put them together, from both yards."

Naotsugu took a mental breath. "The problem on the water is the sea monsters." William's eyes narrowed slightly. "The quest giver wants the Giants brought on as ocean security."

There was a bit of pandemonium in the room until William pounded his fist on the table. "You know they won't listen - even if they could. We're too small for them to hear us."

Naotsugu shook his head. So did Marielle. "I get heard all the time by lots of people being loud," she said. "It's a simple magic as you should know."

William went cautious. Finally his finger came down on the table again, though not as firmly as the first time. "The Giants are about to storm the south," Naotsugu said. "They're not able to maintain their population because the infant mortality is too high in the cold north. You've got two options, and if we fail, only one. One is we go and negotiate with them to get even a few to come help on the ships and you figure out how to integrate them into civilized life so they _can_ move south and live peaceably with everyone - eventually.

"Two is we don't or we fail and you get to fight them in one great battle until they're extinct because they won't go north again. It will be their last desperate attempt to live as a species or die as one. ...We need option one to work for us to get home."

William scattered his imaginary cards on the table with a flick of his wrist and sat back in his chair shaking his head. "Honestly, Naotsugu, I would wish you the best of luck with option one. I'm tired of killing Giants. Even I know they're so few in number now it's nearly the saddest thing I can think of. But I think it's a fool's chase. What ace is in your sleeve?"

Naotsugu looked down at his hand, resting on the edge of the table. "The one who gave us the quest is going to come negotiate with the Giants personally."

There was silence from the other side, then whispered, "Damn." He looked back up. "That's a strong ace." William wasn't looking at him, but at something in his head.

After a bit, Naotsugu said quietly, "And was that another gift of being an elf lord?"

William looked at him, then slumped slightly with a brief nod. Naotsugu nodded back soberly. He'd thought so. Farsight in time and space, a knowing of things that others wouldn't and couldn't know, visions that came suddenly when it was necessary to know a thing, particularly if it was the lord of the elvish kingdom, to keep his people safe, to keep them from dying the only death they could die.

"I'd already seen them come," William said quietly. "We've been preparing for it. But there'd been a piece I couldn't understand. That was it, just now."

"We - Marie and I - will leave here early in the morning so that we can be up there by tomorrow. The negotiations will be the next morning and last as long as they need to. Get volunteers down to the Akiba Port tomorrow. Once they're gone, get started on your evacuation plans, if you want. If all we do is make them mad, they'll probably come.

"But don't kill the first few you see. Try to talk to them first. I'll call you and let you know the results of the negotiation from our end, so you should know what's coming, but if we have to bail fast, or we lose...that's what you're to do."

"You'll be back here if you lose, though?" William asked.

Naotsugu shook his head. "We're ordered to be at Akiba immediately once the negotiations are over. We'll be teleporting. But if we lose...we'll be stuck behind enemy lines, not dead. And if they've found us, they won't be letting us out to give you warning."

"True enough," William agreed and now all his fingers drummed on the table as he thought hard, then his hand made a fist. "We're ready enough, and we want to go home as much as everyone else. If it's time for us to make our move, we'll do it."

"Good," Naotsugu said, then cautioned, "we don't know when that drop will be yet. This is really just the beginning. We hope you'll be able to be patient a while for that part. Shiroe wants you specifically to be the point of contact between the Giants and the Adventurers and People of the Land.

"If friendly Giants come, you're to train them up and help them not be afraid. Once you think they're ready, take them down to Port Sharpcliff and figure out how to get them integrated with the People of the Land there. I'm sure they'll have heard enough rumor about the Giants of Susukino they shouldn't be too surprised by then."

"As soon as we have an extra ship we'll send it up for them to learn to be seaworthy on. Any sea monster they kill is theirs to ship home as food to feed their families. If you can get the whole city to settle, they'd like to have them be the coal miners and woodcutters to ship those down to the factory.

"It'd be nice if they had a few Druids to help them. We're going to need a lot of wood really fast. We're told they'll take alcohol in trade, if we can make barrels large enough to make it worth their while, though how we're going to make that kind of volume of it, who knows?"

William looked down at the table and traced his finger on it. "That's an elvish specialty. I think we could cover that if the barrels could be gotten to us." He looked around at his guild. "We've had nothing better to do since we stopped doing so many raids."

Naotsugu glanced around and saw a lot of grins. He relaxed in relief. Things were already in place. He closed his eyes and thanked Hahaue, who always knew these things ahead of time. Now if only the Giant negotiations would go so well.

"If you manage to get that far, your point of contact will be Michitaka at first, to get the production of the barrels up and running. Then it will shift to Calasin who'll help you with sales and delivery until you've got a smooth running system. If you need transportation help, you'll contact the Minister of Transportation in Minami, but Calasin will help facilitate that, too."

William was giving him a funny look. "This is planned way down to the detail awfully far into the future, isn't it? Is it really a done deal already?"

Naotsugu shook his head. "You know Shiroe. He doesn't even start to move until he's planned it to the end. We're going to be gone on the other continent and out of communication range for at least a month. He wants you to be prepared enough to last until we get back. I'm sure he'll contact you once he's in close enough range to do so. He'll be worried about how things are going here. This is his pet project, you know."

William nodded. "We'll do our best. I won't fail him this time."

"You haven't ever failed him," Naotsugu said quietly in a light scold. "You came and saved Susukino. How was that a failure?" Marielle nodded enthusiastically in agreement. William looked away in embarrassment, then finally gave a nod, his fist tightening briefly again.

Naotsugu was mildly surprised that still bugged William, that he hadn't stayed for the beginning of the Round Table. It had only ever been a good thing for Shiroe in the end. "So, where's that wine?" he said, looking around. "I've been doing a lot of talking, but if you really want to hear my voice some more, I'll tell you the story I've promised you - parts of it anyway."

William gave a smile and raised a finger at the waitress. A few more logs were thrown on the fire that snapped and cracked as they threw early sparks in the air. Naotsugu settled Marielle under his arm more comfortably, took his stein, downed half of it, and set it back on the table so he could play with Marielle's hair absently while he talked.

He needed to remember the good times at the beginning of Purrcy coming to be with them. This was a good excuse to do just that. He would just touch on the highlights, though. There was a lot he couldn't say, but there was a lot he could - at Tetorō's expense, but he wouldn't mind. Laughter was always better than the tears they were crying now. He hoped Tetorō could feel some of that where he was.


	41. Correction and Unexpected Damage

Tetorō almost sent Gareth in to get Purrcy the next morning, or Brenner would be better. Of all the guards, he'd been left to watch solely over Nyanta and hadn't yet made him angry. However, that one act would probably make Nyanta angry with him, so Tetorō didn't. It would rather be better to keep to the pattern.

He took a deep breath, let it out, then entered the darkened room. He held firmly to the pattern for his own peace of mind, standing there for a count of fifteen seconds, then walked across the room. Purrcy was Purrcy today, not a cat. He couldn't keep the sad expression off his face and was glad there wasn't light enough to see it, nor anyone to look.

"Purrcy," he said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's time for practice." Her ear twitched. "Please, wake up." He choked. He wanted her to really wake up, to come back again. The last time this had happened to her had been hard enough. He slowly let go of her shoulder and clenched his hand. He didn't want Nyanta to wake her up, but he so badly wanted to not have to do it himself. He dropped into the code realm and went hunting for her.

"Purrcy," he called from the entrance to her fox hole. "It's time to wake up for fighting practice. Please wake up. You're not in cat form so I can't help you today." He didn't get an answer there, but outside he sensed a change, so he went back. She'd shifted to cat. He sighed. At least he'd get that much. He picked her up and waited for Nyanta to release them. It was a long time coming.

"Mew'll tell me what was done this meowrning. Everything."

"Yes, Nyanta-san." Tetorō bowed and escaped. Michael was already waiting in the common room. Tetorō ignored him and scuttled to the bathroom. Once he got there, he held Purrcy closely to his face, wishing for this day to be different, wishing for this trip to be over already. Then he gently put her down on the counter like always.

When she only sighed, he moved her closer to the bowl and splashed water on her head, dripping it from cupped hands above her head. "Come on, Purrcy. You need to wake up." She started shaking her head and he slapped the towel over it and scrubbed enough to get her brain functioning again.

When he released her, she stood and took a step to drink from the bowl. "You'll stay awake?" he asked her. She nodded. He put her on the floor anyway, just to make it easier for her, then kept the door open a crack until she changed back into felinoid. Only then did he close the door and lean against the frame with a sigh.

He suddenly opened his eyes. He'd felt an unexpected warmth. Michael was standing right in front of him, looming even. He stared back, not sure what to do. Whenever Michael did that, Tetorō was faced with a sudden expectation of being kissed and he had to fight to not lash out at the Monk. He appreciated being understood, and allowed to get his tears and all out, but this kind of reduced personal space was a problem. He realized it was because he hadn't initiated it himself so he held still and waited.

"Not able to wake up this morning?"

"Worse. Not even Purrcy. It doesn't know the pattern."

Michael took a step back in surprise. "Then how are we supposed to train her?"

"By training her all over again," Tetorō answered. The door clicked open and Purrcy stepped out, rubbing her eyes. He turned to her. "Dress for the sword practice." He described the outfit she usually wore and it appeared on her. He held out his hand and she took it. He was glad she was still sleepy enough to not see Michael's expression. It was rather frightening.

Michael turned on his heel. "Let's go, you're already late, so hard to wake up this morning." Purrcy woke up a little more at that comment and obediently walked after him with Tetorō.

The other guards were waiting for them at the practice area. Michael had recovered enough by the time they got there to give her explicit instructions as to where they were in the practicing and what he expected from her (and incidentally Tetorō) that morning. This morning they were practicing against the Eagles, who rotated. They'd done it yesterday morning also, with them at half-strength.

Today they were going up to three-quarter's strength. It was to keep them at similar levels, and to give them different opponents so they could get used to different strategies and fighting styles. Michael was refraining from being an opponent for now. Considering his much higher skill set, that was fine by Tetorō.

It only took the first opponent of this morning's practice for whichever god was in her today to give up and let her come back out enough to observe and learn what it was she was doing this time of day, then it took over and she was suddenly an expert.

Michael immediately stopped them and strode to stand in front of Purrcy, his arms folded. "Get out. Purrcy needs to learn this skill for herself."

"She won't be needing it."

"Shiroe has ordered it. I won't be disobedient. He also has Nyanta's approval. Get out." He caught her as she slumped and held her up until she was able to stand on her feet again. The look she gave Michael was of terror. He released her when she was able to stand, ignoring the look.

"Start again from where you left off," he said, stepping away again. "And get more sleep tonight. You keep falling asleep in the middle of your moves. That won't do. I'll have to keep you longer if you keep that up." She immediately jumped to obey. She'd be in even more trouble for showing up late than for having Michael catch her from falling.

They weren't interrupted after that, but no one was abused of the idea she'd been left alone. It was still riding with her, watching to understand what she was doing and what they did with her. It was a bit frustrating they couldn't know which god it was, though by rights it should be the Game Bot - Izanami herself. Izanagi had yet to break his promises to Shiroe.

When they were panting at the end of the practice, Michael nodded at Tetorō. "You're doing well building up your strength." He looked at Purrcy, "However, if you keep up this lazy attitude, you'll fall behind even more. Magic users are weak and that's not acceptable for someone who needs high levels of HP to do her job properly. Study it more today and be prepared for extra physical effort." She bowed abjectly - almost an apology rather than an acknowledgement of an order.

Tetorō took her hand and led her back to the suite, the rest of the Eagles surrounding them. He carefully taught her all over again how to finish her preparations for her day, taking the early duty since Gareth had been fighting with them, too. He let her know that pattern would change as well. At least Nyanta was out of the bedroom and in the kitchen by the time they came back from practice. That was helpful for Tetorō's nerves.

When Gretchen arrived, Purrcy was sitting quietly, having just been brushed and having set out three outfits as directed. Purrcy didn't react to the arrival of the maid. "Purrcy, Gretchen is going to help you get dressed now so I can go get ready." No reaction. Tetorō rubbed his head and sighed.

He walked Gareth back to the door and whispered, "I think they're trading places and locked her down until the other one gets here. It knows the pattern from this point on, I think, but if not, you'll have to explain everything as you go."

Gareth nodded. "I'll do it anyway."

Tetorō squeezed his arm and took himself out to get himself ready for the day. Nyanta cornered him as soon as he was in his room. He carefully told Nyanta everything. He got a few twitches of an ear, and a swish of the tail, and at the end a curt nod and then an empty room again. With a sigh, he finished his preparations.

At the table, as they walked through the day's schedules, Tetorō hesitated. "Do we want to cancel Purrcy's appointment with Iselius?" he asked.

"Why?" Nyanta raised an eyebrow.

"Because the Duke and his family hate the Priestess, and that's all she'll be today. Purrcy wanted to woo Iselius to be her male model for the next fashion show. He won't agree if she isn't present. It would be better to cancel that side quest than to allow it to fail." He kept his voice neutral.

"Hate...the Priestess?" Purrcy said slowly in surprise and an ear turned in consternation.

"Yes," Tetorō said flatly. "She is an obnoxious snob with no consideration for other's feelings, only ordering them about. Such a one is of no use in delicate social negotiations and interactions."

There was silence at the table for a few minutes until finally Nyanta said, "It's fine. She can go."

Tetorō glanced at Michael, who looked soberly back. "Who will go with her?" Nyanta asked.

"She'll be in town. She'll require one maid, her knight, and two guards," Tetorō managed to say it with the same tones he'd already been using, but he had to swallow surreptitiously when he was done saying it. "The remaining guards will go with you."

Michael slipped in smoothly. "Brenner, you'll go with Nyanta as usual. Training, you go as his second today. Tetorō, you're supposed to go as yourself to help sell the clothing to Iselius, in case you've forgotten." He had and blinked in surprise.

"So Gareth will go as Gretchen and Schedules and Records will be the guards, and I'll be the attending knight as usual." Michael paused, then looked at Nyanta, and then at Brenner. "What's on Nyanta's schedule for today?"

"He's been invited to a gentleman's outdoor activity for the morning, then a luncheon with the Minister of Interior to finish the negotiations begun earlier this week. The afternoon is the usual visit at the court proceedings and tonight he was going to give Lady Purrcy more difficult lessons in rapier. I believe it was two-handed practice, though that is only a guess." Brenner looked at Tetorō. "Do you remember what the evening activity was?"

Tetorō nodded. "It's the ball held in Nyanta and Purrcy's honor specifically. They're to be dressed up in their finest and will be expected to dance together quite a bit, rather than entertaining the court, or so I've been given to understand talking to the other maids in the castle. I think it's Purrcy's test of if she really does know how to dance the courtly dances or not."

At this everyone finally looked directly at both Purrcy and Nyanta. They'd boxed in the gods as best they could. Nyanta continued to eat calmly. Purrcy blinked, looked at her plate, and went back to eating, but they recognized her look. She was reviewing her history. When she was done, she relaxed and settled to what she was doing, calmly keeping silent. That meant she wasn't going to be left alone today, but she would be allowed to get her own work done.

Tetorō was amazed at her fortitude, but Nyanta was worrisome. If he was being controlled by Izanagi now, he didn't look like he'd been released at all. And since it was so like him anyway - the proper quiet gentleman - it was almost impossible to tell.

Tetorō glanced worriedly at Brenner then gripped his fork a little tighter. He hoped it would be enough. Nyanta's negotiations were the more important ones for Akiba. If the Duke hated the Priestess, Tetorō couldn't imagine how the Priest would be related to. Already the guild members who had met him hated him, in less time than they'd disliked the Priestess, and they still didn't _hate_ her.

-:-:-:-:-

"Naotsugu, hon, time to wake up," Marielle was shaking his shoulder. He rolled his head to look over his shoulder at her. She was already dressed. He rolled to sitting up on the edge of the bed and rubbed his face.

She was standing a little nervously near him. "Um...Naotsugu...what kind of a drunk are you?" she asked, trying to sound innocent.

He reached out and took hold of her hand gently. "The kind that remembers bits and pieces, but you know that's not how it works here." He looked up at her, remembering _exactly_ what happened last night after they came to the room in the inn, since she'd brought it up. "Are you regretting it?"

Marielle shifted, her free hand worrying her skirt until she sighed and relaxed. "No," she admitted. He breathed an internal sigh of relief and pulled her to sit with him. In Japan, such a thing wasn't uncommon between consenting adults, although it wasn't made public either, and you usually didn't go home and tell your parents about it. "Really, I'm glad if I was able to bring you comfort, actually."

He kissed her. "You did, thank you." He wrapped his arm around her. "Having things be difficult between Hahaue and Nyanta, who are mother and father for the guild, means we're all on shaky ground. ...I hope you don't mind that I needed to hold on to you as my life raft."

"No," she ran her hand through his hair, "I don't mind." She paused then smiled. "Actually, I know how important it is to keep the tank anchored, especially for Log Horizon. Even if we haven't had the ceremony yet, that's my job." She wrapped her arms around him and he rested his head on her shoulder. "I'll be here for you, so you can keep standing where you need to be."

He nodded, resting in her softness a bit longer, then kissed her cheek and stood up. "I'll only take a bit to get ready." She gave him a nod and he walked to the bathroom to get ready for their journey to the cold northern mountains of Ezzo.

Only William was present to see them off as the dawn appeared on the eastern horizon. They were dressed in their special cold weather gear, which would help them in the colder upper atmosphere while on BrownMane's back and while they were on the ground for the negotiations.

"Good luck," William held out his hand.

Naotsugu took it and clasped it firmly. "Thanks. And to you, too." William nodded.

They mounted BrownMane and soon Susukino was a distant speck falling behind them. Naotsugu wrapped his arms around Marielle and kissed her cheek. She turned to him and kissed his lips. Naotsugu was glad they were going to be alone for the rest of that day and the night as well. All he really wanted to pay attention to right now was her.

-:-:-:-:-

The strong muscles of LightWind moved powerfully under Akatsuki and Shiroe as he flew them southward to slightly warmer climates than they had been in before. Akatsuki had been supporting Shiroe a bit more than normal, though he always rode with ease, as he'd been reviewing things in his mind as they went.

Suddenly he sat upright and she could feel the tension go through every muscle in his back. That distracted her from his reason for doing it until she exploded in a hot blush, wishing suddenly she'd not been here to feel that under her hands and desperate to feel it again.

He was ignoring her reaction, which had been to tighten her own hands on him, but then maybe he thought she was only trying to steady him better because of his sudden motion. It was terribly difficult to focus away from the feel of his tight back muscles under her hands, though.

"Stop." Her hands flew off of him and she was completely mortified. "Rewind." She sat stunned. "Play, slow." She cautiously looked around him to look at his face. He was completely focused and not paying any attention to her at all. She suddenly wanted to giggle in relief and at the humor of that last statement as it related to her own erogenous thoughts.

She clapped her hands to her face, trying desperately to recover. "Pause." Her ears caught the grim overtones in his voice that time and she sobered immediately. "Play...pause. ... Play...pause. ... Play, slow. ...Stop." That time, she was sure it was a hint of despair, or pained resignation - she wasn't sure which. He shivered and she cautiously caught up his coat again in her hands, worried.

Shiroe turned and looked at her over his shoulder, his face very worried, and under that, she was sure it was anger trying to find it's way out, but it might have been something else. Whatever it was, he was trying very hard. Akatsuki suddenly threw her arms around his waist and held him tightly, looking up into his face earnestly. "I'm here," she promised.

He lifted one arm to wrap it around her, though it was a bit awkward since she was behind him. He bent down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad," he said and held her very tightly. He didn't tell her what he'd seen, but he did finally whisper, "It is a very difficult day."

She held him tightly for a long time - as long as he held onto her arms with his own, their fingers interlaced, being his comfort as best she knew how.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy greeted Iselius well enough, and kept him conversationally engaged, treating him with the respect due an equal, rather than as a child to be condescended to. Tetorō paid close attention. It seemed like what part of Purrcy was there was trying to teach the god how it was supposed to interact in these kinds of situations, or maybe she was just focused on it.

He rubbed his forehead when he was was able to drop back a bit. It was getting too complicated trying to sort out when it was Purrcy and when it wasn't. He looked up at the sky that showed between the buildings of the city of Maihama below the castle and sighed. He really should give it up, but he was too worried to by now. A warm hand clasped his shoulder and held him steady until he gave a short nod, ready to face his position again.

It wasn't the first time, and it wasn't to be the last. He was still struggling, and was grateful Michael was there with them. That one gesture kept him moving forward that day. Somehow he made it through the sub-quest with his usual guise of being a flippant, excitable person, burying his anxiety as deep as he used to bury his anger, and in the same way. Showing off the new outfit was one of those things that helped him to stay in character. New clothes that really did look very good on him always helped him feel better, because he could spend a few moments being selfishly proud of himself.

"You've really done well, for you," he said to Purrcy, twirling around to see the split skirt of the jacket flare. "I'm rather amazed. You've really come up with a good outfit to show off my idol self." He looked back at the mirror behind himself to look at the back again.

He caught sight of his hair and face, and turned back to inspect both soberly, then he crafted the spell he wanted and his hair changed to be a slight modification of the curls that Elissa had given him for the wedding and there was suddenly a full noble dandy standing in the mirror looking back at him.

He held up his thumbs and forefingers in a rectangle and said, "Snap!" He actually was able to take a selfie photo this time, since he'd learned how to write simple code on the fly. He twirled in a circle, then held his arms out. " _This_ is the proper Count Tetorō." He bowed flamboyantly to the room, then winked at Iselius.

"It's very becoming on you, Tetorō," Iselius said politely, but his eyes were open very wide.

Tetorō raised an eyebrow. "Is that a complement for a male or a female?" he asked, tilting his head.

Iselius blinked, then asked back, both daring and slightly apologetic, "Are you male or female?"

Tetorō decided that for all he'd been growing up, Iselius still had growing up to do. Still, he clicked his tongue and Iselius blushed slightly. Tetorō tossed his head. "I guess if you don't know, I'll assume it was a complement for the one I wish to believe it was for, and then pay you the same complement...in company." He grinned an evil grin at Iselius.

"Tetorō!" Purrcy scolded. "Really, to go that far!" She turned to Iselius. "He is male and finds it difficult when people can't tell. Please forgive his ire, though he baited you to begin with."

Tetorō was surprised, then realized it had been true. When Iselius apologized politely, he apologized back. He was surprised when Iselius looked at him soberly and asked, "Then why do you play the maid at the castle?"

They blinked at him in surprise. Tetorō looked at Purrcy, not sure if it should remain hidden and not really knowing the proper answer. Purrcy's tail swished and her whiskers twitched up. He could feel the praise before it began. "Very good, Iselius," she said to the young prince calmly. "You will be your grandfather's match while still young. How many of the court are intelligent enough to have seen through our play yet?"

Iselius pondered on that question. "I would say perhaps a few have guessed at it, that they are the same person, but of the ones that have, and have talked about it, most still don't know which is the real Tetorō and which is the pretend one."

Purrcy nodded. "Tetorō is a rare person indeed. He can be both and none will be the wiser. Because we have our own purposes to it, I do hope you will continue to emulate your grandfather and keep your knowledge to yourself on the matter."

Iselius stared up at her soberly and she stared back quite firmly. "Will you tell me why? Why you're playing at that?"

"Because of who I am and what resources I've been given to work with. For us to appear before the court in the way they expect us to, we must meet those expectations, ne? If the expectation is that someone of my station will have ladies in waiting, then we must show that to them, and the proper number of them as well. But we are Adventurers and you already know what that means."

Iselius considered her words, then nodded. "Because there are no queens among Adventurers, you don't have ladies in waiting. To make the court think you are one, though, you have to play at being one properly."

"Indeed." She continued to watch him until he finally worked up the courage to ask the next proper question.

"Why do you want the court to think you're a queen, then?"

"Ask Shiroe," she answered immediately. "He's the one who's given us the quest."

Iselius blinked and his mouth dropped open. "It's a quest? From the Archmage?"

Purrcy nodded and Tetorō twirled and took a pose. "We have come to be the royal court of the Queen, visiting with the Grand Duke of Maihama and his court as the Marquis performs his duty as Ambassador to the People of the Land. Aren't we properly showing them that the Adventurers also understand how the courts of the people connive and whisper and gossip, making deals under tables and yet smiling and dancing politely the whole while?"

He pulled Iselius into a waltz around the room and smiled insincerely at him. "You see, young prince, we aren't uncultured, nor are we savages, any more than your own people are. But very few are willing to see it unless it's proven in a way they can understand." He twirled Iselius out of his arms, since he was a rather stiff, and short, partner. "Or can you truthfully say there aren't sharks and clawed hands within your own ranks?" Tetorō grinned, challenging the prince, stopping to put his hands on his hips.

Iselius stared at Tetorō, then slumped in defeat. "No, I can't. And most Adventurers are honorable because they're willing to be open rather than duplicitous behind false masks." He stood upright again and glared at Tetorō again. "Though, that's why I asked it to begin with. You've been."

Tetorō stared as Purrcy began to laugh. "Oh, no," Michael corrected Iselius. "Tetorō hasn't. Of all of us, he hasn't."

Tetorō glared at Michael. "You haven't been, either, _Sir Knight_."

"Shh, shh," Purrcy begged, still trying to come off her giggles. "Iselius, Tetorō has been both female and male on this planet, and he still is both, though on our planet he is only male. He plays both roles honestly. Michael is one of the rare knights from our planet that really is a knight there. And in a different sort of way, even I am a Queen, really.

"The same as the other four really are soldiers who have seen war and fought to live. The only lie we must show is that Gretchen isn't, because I was informed I'd need two ladies in waiting at least, but that's why we keep her hidden away most of the time. I'm grateful to Tetorō for being willing to do it, since he does find being female annoying when he's been working so hard to get people to understand he is male."

Iselius looked terribly confused. It was perhaps justifiable. After a bit of trying to figure it out, he asked, "You're on a quest to play at being what you really are?"

They smiled at him. "Is that right?" Purrcy asked gently. "Perhaps you should ask again. What are we?"

Iselius shook his head. "Adventurers." It was a rather final statement to wrap together in one package his complete confusion.

"Correct," Purrcy said calmly. She turned to Tyrone, who had been watching the exchange. Since he already knew the play and exchange, they hadn't been too worried. "Iselius, I've also given Tyrone a design to put together for you, since you enjoyed the festival and the fashion show so much. I'm sure you'd like to have something fanciful, but I thought something you could actually wear and show off to the court without having them think you'd gone completely insane would be better. I understand it's still a work in progress, however. Would you be interested in trying it on?"

Iselius lit up, then looked with suspicion at Tetorō's clothing. He paused to really look at it closely, then said, "You've actually tried, haven't you? It's Adventurer, but it could really be worn in court." He tipped his head. "I'd want the skirt shorter."

"You think it's that one?" Purrcy asked surprised.

"It's not?" Iselius asked.

"Mmm," Purrcy tipped her head. "Do they always bring them to you on some other person?"

"Yes."

Purrcy nodded. "I suppose they would, since that's how they showed their designs to me also, and it makes it easier to see them to make a decision. However," she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "I seem to remember a lad next to me that would have been just as happy to have been walking next to his sister. To do that, you have to learn to be the one who is dressed up."

Iselius blinked and looked up into Purrcy's face. " _Is_ there one for me to try on?"

Purrcy nodded at Tyrone who invited Iselius into a dressing room. They were gone for only a few minutes before returning. As he stood in front of the mirror, Iselius's hands cautiously touched the jacket, then ran down the front to brush the peplums. He twisted to look at the back, critically inspecting it. "It's a shorter skirt, and definitely different from what we're used to, but not overly much. If I were to claim it as Adventurer made, the differences could be forgiven."

His brow was creased slightly and he frowned as he inspected the pants that were tight enough to nearly be leggings, then he walked up to Purrcy and held out his hand. She took it and he took a dance stance, then began to lead her in a dance. He would look down every once in a while at his legs as he danced with her.

She subtly took over the lead role so he could pay more attention to his study of the clothing than the dance. He finally released her with an unconscious bow. "I guess it's comfortable enough," Iselius finally said and looked back up at Tyrone. "How many has she asked you to make?"

"Six more, and seven women's gowns to match. And it's a similar number she's asked Mister Presley to make."

Iselius looked back at Purrcy. "You'd want all of them modeled?"

"Yes, please," she answered. "Though the next fashion show for the Adventurers won't be until spring now. These are the final designs from what was displayed at the Fall Festival."

Iselius looked disappointed, but nodded. Tyrone cleared his throat. "Perhaps, Prince Iselius, we could hold a fashion show here when the clothes are ready? We could advertise it as a relational activity with the Adventurers."

Iselius looked at him, then tipped his head to consider it. "I think that could be a useful thing to do. Lady Purrcy, would you be able to come?"

Purrcy looked at him with gentle kindness. "Probably not, Iselius. I'm sorry. But Lady Marielle, of Crescent Moon League, is the one who puts them together and she would love to help strengthen relations between Akiba and Maihama. If you sent word to your sister, who has already agreed to model the female line, she could get in touch with Lady Marielle to make the request."

Iselius inspected her, then the clothing again, then nodded. "I'll contact Raynessia, Mister Tyrone, if you can give me the details of when you would be ready."

"Certainly, Prince Iselius," Tyrone answered, then ushered him back into the fitting room to change him back into what he had come to the store in.

Tetorō looked at Purrcy. She was smiling slightly. "Brilliant young man," she said in answer to the look. "He will do very well as the next Grand Duke." Tetorō agreed. She hadn't had to ask him at all and he'd known what she wanted and been willing to give it to her in exchange for what he could get in return - both for himself and for the furthering of positive relationships with the Adventurers that he and his sister were tasked with by their grandfather.

Tetorō bowed to Purrcy and held out his hand. As they danced, waiting for Iselius, he quietly whispered, "Please, don't go away again."

She was quiet, then leaned down, because she was taller, and whispered in his ear, "Tetorō, thank you for being my pillar. You are the strongest man I know. As long as there is a vessel for me, I will always survive, but your strength keeps me moving forward. Please, survive and I will always be findable, though I know it is difficult."

She brushed his cheek by his ear with her lips and very quietly whispered his given Earth name. "I love you, my son." He stopped their dance and slid his arms around her to hold her tightly as his tears fell unbidden, hiding his face in her chest. She held him gently as Michael escorted Iselius out of the store and the store personnel left them alone.

-:-:-:-:-

"Brrrr!" Marielle shivered, wrapping her arms around herself, making her look even more like a large brown bear with her heavy coat, hat that covered her face, and thick gloves. Her shadow on the side of the tent from the weir light was even more bear. "Is this one of those tents that comes with a blast furnace heater?"

Naotsugu smiled and stepped over to wrap her in his arms. "It comes with one personal body warmer, special use only for you." He kissed her and tickled her ear, making her giggle. He'd just finished setting the tent up, so it wasn't warm yet. Shiroe had been nice and not spared the expense on this item. It actually did have a heating function since they'd known they were coming to the bitter cold in the north where even Adventurers found the low temperatures difficult to tolerate.

It was also one that had the best magical protection and anti-detection spells on it as possible. They didn't need to be discovered - _ever_ as far as Naotsugu was concerned - in this area. They were close enough to the Giants that every now and then the ground trembled with their passing, and the voices rumbled and boomed overhead like distant thunder. Naotsugu had put them a safe distance out for all that, and under a ledge so they couldn't be reached by the Giants very easily, and behind pine trees and rocks. Those might be stepped on and crushed, but they wouldn't.

"What would you like for dinner tonight?" he asked. "Chef Nyanta, Chef Purrcy, or Chef Minori?"

"Minori's a chef now, too?" Marielle asked.

"A rather good one, and her sou chef, Touya, has just as much fun helping her," he said, proud of his junior.

"Can we try what they made, then?" Marielle asked.

"Sure," he pulled out the dinner box the twins had put together for him. They sat cross legged on the tent floor and he handed her portion over. They ate carefully at first, since it was still hot. "It's so convenient, to be able to just eat it like fast food."

"And yet so decadent to have it be homemade," Marielle agreed. "It's very delicious. Tell them I enjoyed eating it." He nodded. When food was in front of him, he focused on it until it was gone. She understood that, so was content to carry the conversation if she needed one. He'd answer it all when the warm food was in his belly warming him up.

Of course, she enjoyed good food just as well, so often got distracted with her own eating. He figured if they ever got home they'd be fat within a year, but they'd be happy and well fed. He'd have to start a workout routine and make her participate, though he liked ample softness, too. He looked up at her to catch her looking at him. She blushed slightly and he grinned at her. He almost put down his food, but it was almost gone, so he chose to finish it instead.

They finished eating about the same time. He put the dishes back into his list. They'd wait to be washed when he got back to Akiba. It was starting to warm up a bit so he put the bedrolls out. They were magically heated ones, so would add to the warmth of the tent itself soon enough. They were actually about to shed their coats when a chime came in the tent they could both hear. They paused. "Naotsugu, Shiroe. Is Marie with you?"

"Yes," Naotsugu answered.

"I'd like to video conference."

"Fine." Though why Shiroe was asking was beyond Naotsugu to understand.

A window appeared hovering in the air. Marielle moved closer to Naotsugu so they could both be seen more easily. Akatsuki was sitting next to Shiroe, and it looked like they were sitting by a fire, as if camping out themselves - which they probably were. The area between Minami and Ninetails Dominion was wild and rough. There weren't very many villages with inns on that path.

"Have you told her about Purrcy yet?" Shiroe asked.

Somehow that wasn't surprising. "Yes. She said she was ready to know, and it looked like it to me, too," Naotsugu answered.

"Good." Marielle seemed surprised that it was okay, just like that. "I thought that might have been it." Naotsugu tensed slightly. The piercing eyes turned to Marielle and she also went still and her hand crept over to Naotsugu's. He let her interlace their fingertips, but let it only go that far.

"Marie, I know you meant well, and you wanted to comfort the person you love, but you made Purrcy be disobedient. You can't do that. It took a lot of work from the party in Maihama to get her back again this morning so she could perform her work of the day. The AI shut her down entirely from the moment she left you until they convinced it to let her go enough to perform her job. And it sat watching her every move and word for the rest of the day." The hairs on Naotsugu's arms and back stood on end, and it wasn't the cold of the north.

"Purrcy is required to be obedient to Nyanta in everything he orders her to be obedient in. That is part of his contract. If we break either that contract or the one I have with them, they can take her away from us. Only the arguments the party made and Nyanta's willingness to let the punishment be rescinded allowed her to be present enough to win Iselius to our cause."

Shiroe paused, then said very firmly, "You will not call her out tomorrow. If Purrcy is allowed to come out on her own, you may talk to her and comfort her, but I believe there is small chance of it happening. We must live with the face we are shown, regardless of our personal preferences or beliefs. We are not dealing with living beings who understand emotions. Purrcy understands this and has already set in place her own way to deal with it. You do not need to force comfort on her."

"But --!" Naotsugu protested at going that far. He'd had to do just that on several occasions.

The sharp eyes turned to him, cutting him off. "We were allowed to teach them for a while. Now they are moving and we must refrain. Certain members may request, but that is all we can do. You will both practice heavy restraint when you arrive at Maihama or you will go straight from there to Akiba. The negotiations and side quests cannot be interfered with. It would be good if you could do the former. Purrcy needs the Duchess to become known and accepted by the court. She will bear that burden for her."

Naotsugu sat up straight, although he remained in his cross legged position, put his hands on his knees, and bowed to Shiroe. "Yes, Shiroe. I'll explain it more properly to Marie so that we don't err again."

Shiroe's eyes returned to Marielle and she swallowed, then bowed. "I'm sorry I didn't understand. I'll try harder now that I've been corrected."

Shiroe nodded a curt nod. "See you do." He relented slightly. "I am sorry that you've chosen to accept the burden we carry. But now that you have, please bear it properly."

"Yes, Shiroe," she answered meekly.

The window blinked out and they were left alone in the tent again, which by now was uncomfortably warm with the winter gear still on. Naotsugu put his coat and gloves away and turned to face Marielle, although he didn't change his pose. She put away her winter outerwear also and faced him on her knees. He explained to her more clearly what the two contracts were and made sure she repeated back what she thought he'd said until she properly understood them, and their depth.

Then he explained what her role as Duchess was and how she would be expected to behave at Maihama, and that he expected her to submit humbly to whatever any of the members of Log Horizon told her to do. Because it was their quest to fulfill, they knew exactly what was necessary for it to be completed correctly. He himself would be doing the same. He did reassure her that he would be with her, by her side to help her, but that wouldn't be an excuse to save her if she slipped up.

Wide eyed, she finally asked timidly, "Do we have to stay then? He did say we could go home?"

Naotsugu shook his head. "That's the punishment. What he said after that was the requirement. If you're being called in as the stand-in after this week's negotiations are completed, you'll have to be able to stand in that position, or we fail in the quest altogether. The next few days will be a sudden exam for you. You can fall apart when we're together alone, you and I, but when we're required to be before anyone else, you must hold yourself as true nobility, no matter how much it hurts. I'll rescue you if I can, but I may only be able to be the strength at your side."

"Not before the guild, though?" Marielle almost begged it.

"Even then. They are your examiners. If you're struggling, watch Purrcy. She'll teach it to you so you know how to be."

Marielle swallowed and worried at her fingers, but she nodded, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry to get into trouble, Naotsugu," she said.

He paused, then shook his head. "I was wrong to not warn you better, and I didn't listen to my better senses at the time, either. I also needed to learn the lesson." He held out his hand and allowed her to put hers into it. He held it lightly.

"I'm sorry, too," he said softly. "I should have warned you away better. We've reached the difficult part and you weren't with us enough at the beginning to understand it. You've joined us already so deep without the proper experience to help you get through this.

"I'll do my best to help you catch up, but...if you're in doubt, step back and close your eyes and deafen your ears. It will be better for you to not know and not seem to care, then come to me and let me comfort you. If there's a thing you can do after that to repair it, either Shiroe or I will let you know. If it gets too difficult, Tetorō will try to find a way to help you, but you may have to just bear with it."

He looked up at her, feeling sad again. "And if you can't help it and must have someone to comfort, Tetorō will need all the help and comfort he can get but you have to do it when he's free to receive it. He is under the same restriction she is because of his role." He carefully explained what that was as well, so she wouldn't make any errors there either, and he used that opportunity to remind himself of the same thing. He'd also misstepped in asking all of them to step in.

When she understood, and he'd said everything he could think of, he could finally relent and allow them to go to bed. As he lay in his bedroll, his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling of the tent, Marielle tossed and turned in her bedroll until she finally rose and dragged it over next to him. "I think it's you that needs comforting again," she said, looking at him. "Let me make it up to you, since I caused it."

He looked at her soberly for a moment, but she was serious. He freed a hand from behind his head and held it out for her. She went willingly to him and for the second night in a row comforted him with her presence, allowing him to forget for a brief time his worries as he lost himself in the wonder that was her. (* See Note.)

-:-:-:-:-

The ball was a formal affair that they played their parts fully at: it was required, and the easiest way to get through it. The servants stood on the wall, awaiting their Lord and Lady's every desire. The guards stood watch with stern masks on. The Knight stood forward just a little, watching from the edge of the company rather than along the wall. He answered kindly when spoken to, but briefly, maintaining his proper attention on his lieges.

Nyanta and Purrcy danced together frequently, seeming to all the company graceful, poised, and regal. And they were, although what conversation they had between them was perhaps infrequent and brief. They spoke pleasantly and properly when approached during their times of rest, and they left the ball with their accompanying retinue at the most appropriate time.

They remained proper and polite into the evening at the suite as well, still the gentleman and lady they almost always were. The occasional soft touches from Nyanta and the brief moments of weakness from Purrcy were missing, but those didn't happen every evening anyway. The party remained rather calm, having had the opportunity to regain themselves to some degree.

When Nyanta and Purrcy left for the garden for him to train her in double rapier, Michael and Tetorō followed at a distance, mostly because they still needed some kind of guard. The surveillance hadn't ended, and likely wouldn't. Nyanta did warn them off just enough they stood at the entrance to the garden to keep it private, rather than enter it to watch over them directly.

That wasn't an impediment to the two guards. They could watch just as well from within the code realm - and they did. Michael put on his earring and his cuff links to give him a physical close proximity warning, just in case someone was going to try something stupid while they were standing there, and Tetorō followed suit and put his earring on.

The lesson went well enough, with Nyanta showing and explaining how to hold the two rapiers at the same time, and demonstrated a few moves until Purrcy nodded she was ready to try. He watched while she attempted them, then corrected her pose and verbally her form, then set her to repetitively practice that much to integrate them into her body knowledge.

While they watched, Nyanta began to have his tail swish, then hold still until an ear twitched. Eventually he began pacing around Purrcy as if inspecting her form from all angles, but the more he paced, the more his tail and ears couldn't settle. Tetorō's brow furrowed, but so far he wasn't sure what to do about only a sense of dis-ease.

The next set of the lesson, Nyanta set Purrcy into the beginning defensive position, then stood in front of her, his own rapiers at the ready. For the next ten minutes he stood still, but his blades flashed towards her. Her own blades were less practiced, but she still fairly easily defended.

They reversed for the next ten, Nyanta defending while Purrcy performed back the attacks that he had sent her way just before. His ears started to flick again, and then the tail swished a definite hunting swish. At the same time, Michael shifted to rub a wrist. Tetorō went on alert. It could be Nyanta himself, but he could also be listening to an ambusher in the bushes of the garden.

A quick look at his map showed the yellow dots that were the spies hadn't moved and there weren't any red dots approaching. "I'll go look," Michael said in the code realm to keep silent outside. Tetorō nodded and kept his eyes on Nyanta. Michael slipped away silently.

Nyanta stopped Purrcy and moved to the next part of the lesson, having her hold the rapiers still while she worked on footwork. They danced the rapier's dance of death side by side until Nyanta was content she'd learned it sufficiently. Michael reappeared and shook his head. None of the spies had set off his cuff links and he indicated they hadn't gone off since.

Tetorō frowned. Nyanta had moved into the next lesson and was facing Purrcy again. This time he moved towards her and she moved back. They went four steps, then Nyanta stopped, nodded, and Purrcy moved with the learned footwork towards him, also four steps. They kept that up until all the footwork was learned, only about five minutes. He allowed her a two minute rest, then they faced each other formally and began a match. It went slow at the beginning so Purrcy could get the feel for a full match.

Fifteen minutes later she seemed to have a good feel for it and Nyanta increased his speed. Her ears pricked towards him and she picked up her own pace to match his. After five minutes, she pressed him just a little. He allowed it, then pointed out an opening the higher speed left her with by poking her through it.

She backed off until she understood how to defend from it. This was repeated a few times. Slowly they continued to increase speed and correct openings until she was moving fairly confidently. At that point Nyanta called another pause. They stood still until Nyanta motioned with a rapier-filled hand.

All three earrings lit up with a faint red glow on the guards drawing their attention. Tetorō immediately shielded the two of them, that being their standard operating procedure when they worked together, and Michael scanned for the danger. He stiffened and added another layer of shielding. "They're gone, all the spies." Immediately later he modified it. "Knocked out, and for a specified time."

"The whole area's shielded," Tetorō answered. "Are we supposed to be passed out, too?" Michael shook his head and shrugged. The match between the felinoids had begun and the faint clink-tink could be heard from where they were standing. It was sounding measured and when they looked, the two of them were calmly taking turns to attack and defend, typically four moves of one, followed by four of another.

As the pressure on Purrcy increased, an odd pressure was building up in Tetorō ears. He pulled back from watching them from within the code realm to see what might be going on around them. It didn't look any different, and he didn't see anything newly dangerous on his map either.

He considered the area around them in the code realm, then narrowed his eyes and went looking in the upper registers. What he found there was frightening. He immediately retreated, setting additional higher level shields over himself and Michael as he fled as quickly as he could.

When he returned, Michael was already holding his arm, waiting for him, worry in his eyes. "She's fighting too well."

"It's the gods," Tetorō said immediately. "They've descended into the micro layer."

"Both of them?"

Tetorō nodded. "I've shielded us as best I can. But why?"

Michael turned to face the center of the garden again, his face going into a firm look. "If they think they can resolve a difficult argument by coming to this plane to use swords to do it, they've got it backwards. That will be so destructive it won't be funny."

Tetorō nodded vigorously. Slowly they crept closer to the center of the garden, the pressure increasing as they did so. Every so often they'd have to pause to allow the shield placed - likely by Purrcy - to settle instead of send off a warning, then creep along again very slowly. It seemed to be tuned to recognize them, but a 'them' that stood still or moved only a little, as if it was okay with them as long as they were standing guard.

By the time they reached the clearing itself, the pressure was high enough to flatten the grass they stood on, and make the plants all bend outward from the clearing. Tetorō's shields were holding, but Michael added one more so they could continue forward.

What they saw were two rapier masters facing off with blinding speed. A lunge here with flashing blades that probably contained three to four times as many blows as their eyes could follow, a flurry of defense, followed by a repartee the other direction just as violent.

The blows were almost as much the creation of the pressure waves as the presence of the supernatural beings. Michael's hand on Tetorō's arm suddenly tightened. "He's using the gifted rapiers, and he just marked her." He said it as quietly as possible in the code realm.

Tetorō stiffened, watching as closely as he could, pulling up her status. It wasn't the real one, but it would give him a close enough relative amount. "Two," whispered Michael. "She's giving it out just as well, but that doesn't help against the few he needs to get in with."

Her HP started dropping, and Michael pulled Tetorō down into a crouch and added more shields then took them as invisible as he could in the physical plane. They knew that she had the capacity to spell create even in the midst of this flurry of sword work. Nyanta started pressing her harder, though, trying to break through and they understood he also was watching her status.

Suddenly a spell went off, earlier than expected, and Tetorō understood immediately. She'd known he was going to watch it so she'd delayed the external display. The flash of light would have been blinding if it hadn't been for one of Michael's shields that darkened as it took the energy of the flash, then disintegrated. It was replaced immediately. She'd gotten in two more flurries, including a few more hits, in that short second, though.

Nyanta's tail lashed and an ear turned back and his lip lifted slightly to expose a glint of tooth. Tetorō shivered and Michael said, "Three. ...Four." They both got ready to run. As the two felinoids clashed one more time, the pressure waves pulled at the roots of the bushes around them, and went by in great waves around the guards. The pattern held, though, and in the brief break between sets, they were running forward, still as invisible as possible.

As Nyanta's rapiers came down towards Purrcy, Michael's Great Bracers came up to stop them and Tetorō leaped at Purrcy to hang onto her neck. "Stop!" he yelled. "Please stop! You will destroy all of Maihama, and us along with it! This isn't the right way to do this!"

He held onto Purrcy tightly, willing the Game Bot to stop and back off, back into the pico and nano layers. He could hear the _shing_ of Nyanta's rapiers pulling across Michael's bracers, returning to their preparatory position. Tetorō desired with all his heart that the next move would be to sheathe the blades.

Instead it was another blow that made Michael grunt slightly. As the blades left to prepare for the next blow, Michael called out, "You may send me to the Cathedral, but if you harm her you will nullify your agreements, even if she has consented to the lessons."

There was another crack and Tetorō's heart quailed. "The requirement from Shiroe was to strengthen her. Any death does not strengthen, nor does any enhanced learning." There was a pause instead of another blow and Michael was continuing. "Nyanta's purpose was to increase her speed because the sword is heavy and difficult to get to speed, but the lighter rapier can teach it more quickly. There is no need for this." Tetorō could feel Michael stiffen as if bracing for another blow. "If you continue, you go counter to all of this and the contracts will be broken."

Tetorō dared look into Purrcy's face. She hadn't moved since he'd grabbed her, though her hand had twitched when the blows had fallen on Michael as if she would have defended him if Tetorō hadn't been in the way. In that, he was protecting her as well. If that was really Nyanta, if she protected Michael Nyanta would have continued to strike the both of them in jealousy until both had been Cathedraled, given how angry he looked.

"Please," Tetorō pled again. "Put them away. We'll stop with the sword practice and find another way. We're almost done here anyway and it was only for the time we were here since there would be other low level fighters to practice against. There weren't enough in Akiba anymore for Purrcy to practice against properly."

"Why the sword at all, then?" It came from everywhere, rather than from either one of them specifically.

"Because Shiroe wished to experiment to see what statuses would change if a magic user could be taught the sword," Michael answered.

Purrcy relaxed slightly, though she stayed alert. Slowly the pressure in the area was lifted. When she moved to lower the rapiers, Tetorō released her and stepped back until his back touched Michael's. Silently, now they were touching, they spoke to each other in the code realm. "Am I dead for having touched her?" Tetorō asked.

"Not yet," Michael answered. "I think he's still deciding if I die first. It's taking the anger a while to back down. When it's more just him, I'll let him beat up on me a while longer, if necessary. You'll probably be sent with her before then."

"Ahhh...I guess I won't heal you up then. That would only make him more angry."

"Most likely," Michael agreed in resignation. "And I'd rather end this quickly. Ah! Hold still. He's not headed for us."

Tetorō could hear the light crunch of the grass being walked on from Nyanta's position, and then he was in view. He held out his hand, now empty of rapier. "I'll take those," he said coolly.

Purrcy handed her rapiers over and they were taken, then disappeared. The green cat eyes moved to look at Tetorō. "Mew'll see her purroperly to the room, then wait for me to arrive."

Tetorō bowed, only letting out his emotion once his face was to the ground and it was gone by the time he rose again. He was going to be questioned most severely, and who knew what else for his own punishment. He scrubbed his history to be acceptable, just in case, though he'd turned off the recording anyway and rerouted hers and Michael's at the time he'd danced with her and found comfort one more time in her arms.

The Nyanta he respected wouldn't have cared, but would have understood. He couldn't allow himself to believe _that_ Nyanta would be present with them again for a long time to come. Nyanta excused Purrcy and Tetorō obediently followed her out of the garden, leaving behind a warm magic hug for Michael. He also was going to have a hard time. For all Tetorō wanted it to end early for Michael's sake, the angrier Nyanta was the longer he would make the punishment last.

Tetorō got Purrcy to bed, then returned to the common room to wait, standing on the wall at rest attention. The guards looked at him with raised eyebrows, then disappeared into their rooms. Michael arrived and Tetorō gave him a quick boost. He'd not been Cathedraled - that would have been counterproductive to their reason for being here in Maihama - but he was nearly there. Michael didn't look at him and didn't stop on his way to his own room, but he did give a faint nod of thanks.

Tetorō looked for Nyanta on the area map and found him walking slowly back to the suite from the garden. He properly kept watch over him, although of all of them he didn't need protecting. Only Purrcy knew how to break through the protective spell she'd put on him.

That one thing was the most frightening thing she had done - made Nyanta perfectly invincible to magic attacks of any kind. And it was the one spell Tetorō had no idea how to replicate. His attempts to analyze it merely ended in slipping on the same slippery surface that it was to begin with in the code realm. And he'd found it was that way at all the levels he could reach.

When Shiroe had asked him to place a history monitor on Nyanta, he'd had to admit he couldn't. He'd filled the one drain hole that the Plague Master had put on Nyanta, but Purrcy had since put in a patch for it and even that could no longer be done to Nyanta. Not even Shiroe knew why she'd done it, other than to protect him generally. What the deeper ulterior motive was, they couldn't know.

When Nyanta walked in the door, closing it lightly behind him, moving with the smooth grace of the gentleman he was, Tetorō was prepared with his smooth face that said nothing and offered no resistance. He'd learned the uncaring idol to protect himself from the idiots who came to this world and needed lessons in how to treat people properly, how to see them for who they were not who they looked like. He'd learned this face long before that, back when his own father would come home at the end of the day just like this and he was only five, then seven, then twelve, even until the night he'd got on to play one more time and been dragged here.

He'd learned to take his punishment with outward humility and subjugation, properly so that it was done and not exacerbated with further ire. To read the subtle signs that told him when to properly show he'd been hurt so that the punisher could be satisfied properly. To not show that it had gone on for far too long, though eventually he'd learned how to show just the right subtle signs to get it to stop earlier.

"Show me everything that was done today." The cool voice in front of him said.

Tetorō bowed slightly, then went into the code realm and wrote the code to create an information cube, placing everything he had in it, then cast the spell. He had to stand on the wall the entire time it was reviewed, while Nyanta sat casually in a chair to do it. When the cube was done and Nyanta had turned it off, he sat for a while longer, then said, "What did mew erase?"

"Nothing, Nyanta-san," he answered. It would make no difference what he said if he wasn't believed to begin with.

"I heard today that mew and Michael were caught trysting yesterday in the garden."

"It was as Tetora, in an attempt to erase the rumors."

There was a twitch of the whiskers. It humored Nyanta, though that wasn't surprising. "It has been sufficiently effective. From now on until we are on the way home, mew will be only Tetora." Nyanta rose from his seat and looked directly at Tetorō.

Tetorō bowed. "Yes, Nyanta-san." He changed then and there.

As Nyanta walked very close to him, he was suddenly afraid that he was going to be touched inappropriately, but he wasn't. Nyanta did pause just slightly as he was about to pass and say quietly, "Of course, mew do realize I am much more difficult on women."

Then he had moved on and entered his and Purrcy's bedroom. Tetorō blinked, then blinked again, then ran. That had been a comment only Nyanta himself would have made. No god would have known that about him.

The door clicked closed behind him as he reached the bed, he was moving so fast. His hands were on Michael, healing him to full, desperate. Warm hands took his suddenly freezing cold and trembling hands. "What is it, Tetorō?" Michael asked as the sparkling lights from the spell faded the room back into blackness.

"It's Nyanta, Michael. Nyanta, not the god." His voice broke.

Michael pulled the blanket up and pulled Tetorō into the bed. Tetorō didn't resist. He shivered and sobbed as Michael held him, female though he had been ordered to be, until he finally drifted into the blessed release of sleep. It was all the more painful that Michael never tried to comfort him with words to the contrary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *For those of you who need help understanding the Japanese culture...Naotsugu is in as much trouble as Marielle, if not more, since he is her head, like Shiroe is the head of the guild as a whole, and even Akiba, really. The person at the top of the department that fails is the most punished when things go wrong, like the U.S. military. (Michael and the Eagles understand this hierarchy and discipline structure intimately for this reason.) Thus it was Naotsugu's place to correct her properly, and then to be punished by not being with her that night, for all that was his only desire all day.
> 
> He knows that when they arrive in Maihama he will be the most punished as well, while Marie's education will be rather harsh under their hands (it will be taken from him - the reason he warns her he won't be able to help her very much) until he can prove again he can properly teach her. (Another reason for his extreme care in this evening's lesson. If he does well in this lesson, they'll be able to tell and relent sooner.) Rather than being able to act as equals, they will be servants in effect, if not in title.
> 
> However, because she also must pay a price for what she did, even if unknowing, she can offer to correct it. In this case, because what she did made him hurt for the family that is his guild, she can offer to ease that in the same way she did the night before. He can accept it from her because it's her punishment this night, not his desire (though it works out both ways in the end anyway), thus healing the small rift between them as well as their own hearts. Yeah, complicated, but it's really how the discipline and correction process works, from businesses all the way down to the family.


	42. Giants

Michael woke up at the usual early practice time confused. He'd been back in basic training, being abused by the drill sergeant. It had been raining, the backpack was the heaviest he'd had to carry to date, and the mud splashed up with every heavy step and made the footing treacherous. He'd arrived back at the barracks to slip the backpack off and stepped into his own house instead, suddenly surrounded by the dark of the night, the silence of his son and wife already gone to their beds. He'd stumbled up the stairs to find his wife and his soft pillow.

To awaken to find a woman in his arms was horribly confusing. He really thought he was home. His brain took a while to restart and for him to remember being on Theldesia - and then for a few moments more Theldesia was the dream he'd had.

But the woman in his arms was smaller than his wife, so that woke him up a lot more. He wasn't given to having affairs when he was out on tour of duty. It made life too messy as an officer and he didn't need that kind of complication in his life generally either.

He moved his arm off the person under it and put his hand on the shoulder and that shape kicked his brain back into gear. He gently shook his bed partner. "Tetorō. Tetorō. You should get to your own bed before Nyanta-san wakes up. If you go now, he'll think you were just waking up now because of the pattern."

Tetorō had been slowly waking up and now he shuddered and nodded. "Thanks," he said as he slipped out of the bed and headed for the door. After a sudden thought, Michael was after him. Tetorō froze with a flinch.

"Ah, no. He'll hear my door close and I've got to use the bathroom, too," Michael quietly explained himself. "An extra close on my door might be just as bad."

Tetorō relaxed and nodded. "He's heard the news we were spotted together the day before. He's pleased enough, but I'm to stay Tetora for the rest of the duration."

Michael could only look at him in sympathy. It wasn't a surprising requirement. "At least there's one good thing to come of it."

Tetorō agreed wryly as Michael reached for the door handle, opened it and looked carefully around. It was clear, as it should be. He headed straight for the bathroom as soon as his door was closed again. Tetorō slipped as silently as he could to his own door, though he didn't open it yet.

When Michael came out of the bathroom, Tetorō was standing outside it, leaning tiredly against the wall. As he yawned, Michael said, "On the one morning we could have slept in and the body's already got the habit."

Tetorō nodded tiredly. "It's a shame really. I was in the middle of a good dream, too. I hate how they turn suddenly into nightmares just to get you out of bed." They traded places and Michael went back to his own room to get another hour of sleep.

Another door opened up down the hall before his could, though. "Going back to bed?"

Michael turned his head and looked in surprise at his subordinates. "Oh, right. I forgot about that overshield. I take it you couldn't see through it, then?" They shook their heads. He changed directions and joined them.

They were two to a room, so half slipped over to join in as well. He told them the basics of what had happened the night before, leaving out his suppositions and that Tetorō had spent the night, although he did let them know Tetorō had been ordered to remain female.

When he finally was able to make it back to his room, he didn't have enough time to sleep. He lay on his bed, his hands behind his head, just resting until it was time to get up and get the day going, and running plans and scenarios in his head.

-:-:-:-:-

Naotsugu and Marielle ate breakfast before Naotsugu summoned Purrcy. They had the tent and campsite packed before she arrived, and she still hadn't arrived. Marielle looked around the area, then at Naotsugu, her fingers trying to worry themselves through the thick gloves. "Do you think she wasn't allowed to come?"

Naotsugu was wondering it himself. Given how late it was in the morning, he decided to call her. "Purrcy, is everything okay? We're ready here."

"Hm? Oh, sorry. ...Hang on a second." About five minutes later she came trotting up as large cat - with a very full and shaggy coat of the black hairs, so that the gold swirls looked more like splotches. "Sorry. I wanted to look over the area first to see where to stage the negotiations."

She sat on her haunches and looked at them both. "Let's go up on the ridge and I'll tell you what I'm thinking where you can see what I'm talking about." When they moved she rose again and led them around the ledge they'd been camped under and up to the ridge above it and out onto a point that rose above the mountain valley below them.

"You see the city is down there," she pointed with her nose to their right. "I actually don't want to get the whole city riled up and hunting for us, so that distance is fine." She turned and pointed to the central left area. "That appears to be a mining location. I think the smoke is from smelting fires, by smell.

"If we can get the foreman or manager's attention, they might be high enough in the chain to be able to get in to talk to the Giant King. If all we can get are some of the lowest Giants on the rung from the mine, that would actually be quite satisfactory. It's always the little guy no one knows that saves a people in the end anyway."

Purrcy turned to look back to their left where they had come from. "You've actually picked very well. The bowl should help the sound echo out towards them, and I can use it as a dramatic backdrop for the visual. I've already done my research into the background of the Giants, so I think I'm ready there.

"The three of us will hide back there where you camped. Naotsugu, you'll set as shield for the two of us, though you'll be bored until they get mad. Do keep an eye and ear out for sneak attacks to come from the rear. Just like us, they're as likely to talk distractions from the front while sending others to see just what's going on.

"Marielle, I'm going to be continuous casting. Hold some healing in reserve in case they do attack, but your main role will be to keep me tanked up. I'm going to cast the illusion of their goddess at their own size and have a volume enhancer spell as well. I've also got a translator program written, since we can't hear half the sounds they make to each other with our little ears.

"I've added it to a quest item to give to whomever looks like might be willing to participate on their end so they can talk to William. It can be used to prove to him that they're legitimate. Since it's a quest item, if they aren't serious about helping it won't work. Only the 'true hero' of the Giants, destined to save his people, and his companions, will be able to use it properly."

Marielle was looking as pleased about the quest aspect of it as if it were being offered to the Adventurers. Purrcy held up her head to Naotsugu and he saw there was a large silver ornament in her mouth. He took it from her and looked at it curiously. It was a giant pin almost as long as his forearm, bright silver, and was of two clasped hands. "Get this to William. He's to give the hero a sub-quest to prove his commitment to the fulfillment of his quest and to prove he'll live peaceably with the People of the Land and the Adventurers. That's the reward if he passes the test.

"The world will modify the test if William makes it unattainable or unrelated to the end quest, but he's got license to be creative, including adding members of his own party to the Giant's party if he wants. The end goal of the sub-quest is that all the groups of people who will need to end up living together understand how to do that and become willing to try. The pin will allow the Giant hero to change size so he can better interact with the people of the area. Negotiations are hard through translators, though I'm going to have to try anyway."

"Couldn't you just wear the pin?" Marielle asked.

"No. I'll disappear if I take it off to hand it to the Giant."

Naotsugu shook his head. "No, that's a good side effect. It would prevent them from finding you to harm you. Also if you're their size you won't have to worry about the translator, and if they've seen it on you, won't they then relate it to the goddess, making it also a holy item?"

"That could be dangerous, though," Purrcy frowned. "Holy items get special treatment and often become well guarded regalia instead of useful items that can be hidden and found later by the next hero. I want William to award it so it doesn't get that high a legend attached to it. It's bad enough they'll get the translator that way, though it's more logical to come that way since the goddess giving the quest would want them to be able to communicate properly." They had to agree. The way flavor text and intent worked on this world it would be best to be perhaps a bit cautious.

"Right. I'll give it to the Cunie to deliver to William when we're in a town with one in it again," Naotsugu carefully tucked the item away in his special item box. "We're going straight to Maihama when we're done here?"

"Yes. Nyanta's awaiting your call to summon us." Purrcy sighed with an ear turning down. "I can't postpone his summons anymore, or he would have already done it so he didn't have to be interrupted.

"I was hoping to take Marielle to Mister Presley's to pick up at least one outfit for her, but we'll have to make due with me modifying what I already have when we get back. I'll need to know what you've already got in the clothing department as well, Naotsugu. You'll both need to be dressed to play your parts properly. That will be our task when we get back and recover enough to cast another slew of spells, though Tetorō can help with the recovery.

"...Ah, he's Tetora for this trip, and Gareth is filling in as Gretchen. We learned I needed two ladies in waiting for it to look right. You should by all rights have two as well, Marielle, but we'll share. Gareth has had enough experience now he can be assigned to you." Purrcy looked away over the hill. "I'm sure there will be more details when we arrive. Just remember we're under the watchful eyes of spies all the time there, except we put up a privacy and protection spell between eleven at night and nine in the morning."

She rose to her feet again. "Well, let's go get started. There's a lot to be doing today." They walked with her back down the ridge to the place they'd camped before.

Naotsugu carefully picked out a well hidden and easily defensible place (for one warrior) and they got set up with a magic fire to warm them that wouldn't put out smoke while they sat and waited in the frigid cold. Purrcy cast her spells and then was gone from them in mind while she controlled the illusionary Giantess.

Marielle watched her and Naotsugu watched both of them and paid close attention to his surroundings. They could hear some of the sounds of the Giantess talking at the first, then there was quiet for a while, then more talking.

As the talking continued past what it probably should have been, Naotsugu became more and more alert to the feel of the ground beneath him and the sounds. Often walking Giants sounded more like a moving wind than strong thuds. He continuously scanned the sky just above the ledge and the ridge.

When he received his first warning it was just like the wind, both in sound and in the motion he saw. The treetops above him were mown down with a great blow. He grabbed Marielle, put out the mage fire, and lifted his shield above the three of them, having moved Marielle and himself to being right behind Purrcy.

This time he saw the sword and he watched it swing through another patch of tree tops. He put his free hand on Purrcy's head and pushed and she shrank. "Grab her." As soon as Marielle had her in arms, Naotsugu grabbed Marielle and pulled them into the hidden alcove and set his shield between the outside and the rest of them.

They were just in time. The last of the trees where they had been disappeared. That was followed by large feet stepping down into the bowl - feet booted with shiny black boots that screamed military or royal guard. That level wasn't the hero the quest needed. That was the "crush the heretic" level. Naotsugu immediately called on a skill that made his shield darken and not reflect light. If they could look like more of the shadow under the overhang, that would be best.

The sounds of Purrcy talking through the Giantess had stopped during that little escapade, but she hadn't taken them back yet, or returned to tell him he could contact Nyanta, so he held his ground. Just as the large sword point was coming to scrape out the entirety of the overhang, like cleaning out a giant fingernail, there was an explosion of light beyond the Giant hunting for them.

Purrcy gasped out, "Now!" and Marielle was casting a healing spell. Naotsugu immediately called Nyanta.

As the sword tip began moving again, and just before Naotsugu could cast Castle of Stone - his only hope of them surviving that sweep - the scene swirled in his vision and they were suddenly dropping in the middle of a sitting room in the Cinderella Palace. They'd managed to arrive safely in Maihama with just enough excitement beforehand to clear out the senses and get the blood flowing nicely.

As soon as they'd put their winter gear away, and Naotsugu his shield, he was suddenly enveloped in a hug. "Brother!"

He was definitely being held by a female, and one he recognized. He put his arms around Tetorō. "Tetora, it's good to see you again," he said. "Have you been well?" He didn't wait too long before pushing him back to look at him.

"Well enough," Tetorō answered more politely. "Were your assignments successful?"

"Yes." He turned from Tetorō to take Marielle's arm on his elbow, noting Purrcy was felinoid and already dressed nicely. He faced Nyanta. "It was kind of Lady Purrcy to come and fetch the Duchess and I. She's also promised she'll see we're properly dressed before we must wander the halls of the castle."

"I'd like to see Duke Sergiad as soon as possible to let him know we're imposing so suddenly," Marielle said calmly (for her). "I think traveling with you when you return to Akiba would give us just enough time to give him proper due, but not put too much of a burden on him."

Nyanta tipped his head. "Records, run the message to the Duke's office that we'd like to impose on him briefly in about an hour, if he could fit us into his schedule." Records bowed and left the common area for the castle proper. Nyanta looked at Michael and waited.

When Michael nodded, Nyanta flicked an ear at Tetorō. Tetorō immediately cast a full heal on Purrcy, and then one on Marielle. Nyanta sat casually composed in the main seat in the room as he waited.

"While Purrcy works on the clothing, we'd enjoy hearing the stories of your travels." Naotsugu slumped inside, if not out. It was going to be a pop quiz of the worst sort. They were going to have to play the first round with little information and come out on the other side having set a good first impression.

While Purrcy pulled out a dress from her items and resized it to fit Marielle, then proceeded to modify it magically, Naotsugu told the group what had happened on his pathway north. The excitement of the Depths of Palm was the most interesting of the things they had done, really, although everyone was relieved the two sets of negotiations had gone well enough.

Purrcy had just pulled out a second dress to get the same treatment from her when Naotsugu reached the point she'd arrived and began talking to the Giants. The attention turned to her then. She paused in her tailoring for a minute, then an image, like a viewscreen, appeared in the middle of the room. While it replayed what had happened during the Giant's negotiations, she continued to work calmly on the second dress on Marielle.

-:-:-:-:-

A Giantess in formally decorated clothing appeared on the screen, set at the edge of the valley as if she had just stepped down from the ridge, or risen from the bowl. "Oh, who will aid my people, and who will save my children?" the Giantess cried into the valley. "They lie dead upon their birthing mats and frozen upon the floor. Their fathers lie bleeding and lifeless upon the plains and their mothers flee into the ocean to be eaten by the Giants of the waters.

"Who, oh who, will save my people so that they will not become a nation remembered only in the memories of the small? Will any hear the cry of one who remembers a great nation and who dreams of times of peace?" The Giantess began sobbing, then a wailing mourning song rose from her that followed odd undulations to their ears.

In the distance, other Giants began to be seen, turning to pay attention to the sounds coming from the Giantess. Slowly and cautiously they moved closer until one was brave enough to stand forward and ask what her purpose was. "I have come seeking one who has the bravery to learn a new thing, to cast off the old that brings death, and who has the desire to see his own people live. That one I will give gifts and my blessing to so that my people will not lie dead to be only skeletons for the earth to swallow up."

"We are a great people, the Giants of the earth, strong of body. We cannot die," she was answered.

She shook her head. "Go and seek your wife who will tell you that your fifth child must be buried before sunrise. How can you say that you cannot die when you cannot keep your own future alive?" The man paled.

"My children die and I die with them. The King plans to save the people by taking lands by force of arms, but he does not understand what he takes you to face, nor has he told you what his own have learned. The people who follow him into the south will die until their bones litter the land and none will return to comfort their wives."

"How can you say that? The Smalls die with but a little thought!" another man said angrily.

"And have you fought them yourself, within the past two-year? Have you not heard of those who have come within that time to the lands? They are not rumor but real. They can die, but they cannot be killed. Even the Smalls will take their small axes and with their perseverance remove an entire forest before them.

"Ask you of the truthsayers, take to them those who have been to the south and not returned and see what their bones will tell you. Why has your brother not returned? Isn't it because he is now a child waiting to be reborn again, even as your own three sisters who did not live to see their third sun wait for the same?"

"See you what the King will say to you and it will be a lie to get you to go to the south, to follow after your brother and find him there. And you will find him, when you also take the last wound and rise to become a waiting child like them before you.

"And I will weep for you and for them, for none of you will rise again to be children of mine, nor any of you if you will continue to fight against the Smalls, for there will be no fathers or mothers to give birth to you. There is only one way for you to live in peace and for my children to be born to life and hope."

Already they'd seen three Giants slip off away from the group to go hunting, all three of them with uniforms marked with insignia. A fourth marked similarly moved smoothly forward. "And what is it we should do to protect the people?" he asked.

"You will die with those you force to follow you," she answered him. "But if one has courage to believe, and to desire to protect his people, he must go to the south in peace, seeking the elf named William Massachusetts who sits in the stronghold of Susukino and keeps the peace in that city. If the one who will save my people will do all that one will tell him to do, faithfully, he will learn what is needful to keep the people alive and will find the pathway to peace."

"It's good that there is a way to keep the people alive in peace, but how shall a Small tell it to us? They cannot talk to us, nor can they understand us," the captain said.

"Your own ears are deaf, even to the pleas of the daughters and wives who beg you not to take their sons and husbands away to cause the death of the great people of this nation. But the ears of the one who will save my people will hear the Smalls and will be understood by them, to the making of peace with them, even to eventual friendship, and his name will be held in honor on the lips of those who are able to still live and love because he was willing to heed my words."

At this Purrcy turned to the playing recording and paused it. "Here, see," she pointed to a youthful looking Giant on the far left of the crowd that had gathered. "He is the hero. He will come, if he has the courage. And this one," she pointed to one a little more central, behind the main speaker, "he will be the companion to strengthen him, and his sister will be the hero's wife and queen when he is made king. And this one," she pointed to one on the right whose face was dark, "he will betray them, either being purchased by the King to betray them once they have come down, or he will think the King will reward him if he betrays them.

"Naotsugu study them well and pick out a distinguishing feature from each one to tell William so he knows ahead of time who to watch for and who to protect and who to instruct." She left it paused and went back to the dress on Marielle, finishing it and pulling out a third while Naotsugu studied the image.

When he was done with finding what he hoped were sufficient identifiers he asked her, "Why instruct?"

"Because it would be better to have three Giants to begin the work in the south. If he can be won over through proper instruction from his erroneous way of thinking and find it in his heart to change, it would be better. If he can't, then the two will have to be sufficient enough. Perhaps the sister will make her way down after them and the Giants will be saved because a mother came with them.

"I'll be surprised if any other Giants are turned at all, but perhaps the women can make the difference necessary. Their mourning is what is pushing the King to move, but if they'll remain angry like he is, then they'll lose their living hope as well as the hopes that have already died." She waved at the image and it started back up again. She turned to Marielle and began work on the third dress. Marielle gave her an HP boost at that point.

The Giant doing the talking continued to ask questions, and the Giantess continued to answer in the same way, telling him his personal cursing then answering the question until she finally raised her hand. "You are duplicitous and seek even the death of your own Goddess at the same time as your King seeks the death of his own people. I will leave my gift and one whose heart is sincere and desires only the life and peace of the people will seek it and find it and if he is courageous, he will perhaps save my children. If not, then farewell, for even I will die when there are no more Giants to walk this earth."

A bright light surrounded her and it coalesced into one small brilliant light that began to fall to the ground then winked out. The uniformed Giant in the front immediately jumped forward to seek the little light but he couldn't find it in the time they had before the visual on their screen went blank. Purrcy rewound it slightly and paused it.

"See, the hero has watched the light and knows where it is. His companion looks to him to see if he will act and the traitor knows them both." The eyes of each of them were indeed on the places she was pointing out. "We will see if they'll move, but the King surely will now that I've told his secrets in the open. There will be a few days to weeks where he will have to put down my prophecies as rumors, and perhaps a partial civil war will occur before he can move.

"He'll bring down those who questioned him and believed me as captives to fight against their will. If there were a way to allow them to surrender so that more could live, that would be best. And if the hero can move quickly enough to step in and help that happen that would be even better, but the traitor may move to kill him right at that moment."

She sighed. "Because I can't know what they will actually do, I can't protect him, but if he lived to become king then the island would know peace finally, and perhaps he would become an ambassador of peace between the Giants and the smalls wherever in Theldesia Giants live."

Purrcy looked sternly at Nyanta and Naotsugu. "Even the smalls must do their part to prove they want peace and understand the value of all the creatures of Theldesia." They blinked, then nodded and she relaxed. With a wave, the image disappeared and she turned back to Marielle.

Naotsugu turned to Nyanta. "I need to report to William. May I do that now?"

"Certainly," Nyanta answered as an ear turned.

Naotsugu stepped away from the group to a corner of the room and quietly called William. He explained what had happened and what he could expect, including describing the three Giants that might come. He also let the elf guildmaster know that he would be sending the sub-quest item on when he reached Akiba in a few days. He chose to reinforce again that the positive and proper resolution to the quest was very important. He was relieved when William reassured him again that he would do his best.

When he returned to the group, Marielle was in a gown for the day and it was his turn to pull out all his high end clothing and have a few of them tailored. "You'll wear this one at the ball," he was told for one that was high class for sure. "Likely you'll wear your guild uniform the most," Purrcy finally admitted as she released him and called the work done. She moved to stand beside Nyanta's chair, her hands clasped loosely in front of her skirt.

Naotsugu was struck by the calm poses, so regal though understated, and for a moment he could see on Nyanta's head the shimmer of the crown she'd put on him the day of her court. Naotsugu drew a breath, then bowed. He could feel Marielle curtsy next to him. "Please, tell us what we're to do while we're here," he requested their orders.

-:-:-:-:-

"Mew don't need to concern yourself with the matter," Nyanta said calmly to the Duke. "We have sufficient space in the suite mew've already given us."

Tetorō heard those words and closed his eyes, his heart falling until he was emotionless, an empty creature. He continued to follow after his mistress, being attentive enough to her needs, wary enough to watch his master and see he didn't catch his attention, but that was all. He walked through the pre-dinner activities, the dinner, and the ball in this state, even until they reached their suite of rooms again.

When Naotsugu and Marielle were assigned his room for the rest of the duration, he didn't comment or complain. When Nyanta looked at him and his ear pointed at Michael, Tetorō's heart lurched once, but he repressed it and merely gave a faint bow, although a finger tensed as if beginning to pull on the trigger of a gun.

Guns weren't allowed in Japan and were both taboo and feared, but there were gun arcade games, brought from the States, and he'd gone and lost himself playing them the worst nights after his father had come home, to get rid of the anger that threatened to explode. He'd stay out until he'd shot his father vicariously enough he could go home and not kill him.

For the next five minutes he just stood on the wall and breathed until he was calm enough to go in and help Purrcy prepare for bed. Gareth had been assigned - as Gretchen - to Marielle, who was excused at the same time as Purrcy. About the time Purrcy was prepared for bed, Gareth called him privately. "Marielle is concerned about protocol this time of night and in the morning, but I can't set up the secure screen to tell her. Are you able to come help as if instructing me on the differences between the two rankings?"

Tetorō considered it, then answered, "I'll ask." He tucked Purrcy into bed, then left the bedroom. When he had Nyanta's attention, he bowed and asked if he could go and see that Gretchen had properly met 'her' requirements to the Duchess. Using it as a review of what could be considered Gareth's test pleased Nyanta enough he was given permission.

When he entered the room, Gareth was brushing Marielle's damp hair and Marielle was blushing furiously. Tetorō smiled slightly and turned to Marielle and bowed slightly. "Duchess, please tell me what Gretchen has done to serve you. I have been training her to assist with the Queen. This is her first night to work alone and without supervision."

Marielle looked at him with widened eyes, then took a breath. "Ah, when we arrived, h-she asked me to wait while she drew me a bath, then went and did just that. When she returned she," the blush began all over again and she was looking a bit affronted, "...she began to take my dress off. Since the fastenings in the back are hard to reach, that was helpful.

"But she went on to help me remove everything, then bowed me into the bathroom, sat me down on the wash stool and washed me, then helped me in the bathtub to soak. When I went to get out, she appeared and toweled me off, then led me back into the bedroom to help me get dressed in this nightgown," she pointed to the one she had on, "and has been brushing my hair until you came in, which I suppose is just about done now." She had said it all in one rush, just like that, as if she couldn't bear to recall it all or she'd be just as upset all over again, and she probably was.

Tetorō turned to Gareth. "Thank you, Gretchen. I'm pleased I'll be able to tell Lord Nyanta that you have passed your test well enough. With enough time, I'm sure Lady Marielle will be able to settle to her proper station. It's difficult for Adventurers to understand at first, since very few of them have had the privilege of being nobility. Lady Purrcy is an exception and an exceptional Lady. You were honored to be able to learn serving her. Be courageous and remember your lessons. Lady Marielle will learn it soon enough from you that way."

Gareth gave Tetorō a little curtsy, earning himself a few more points. "Yes, Lady Tetora. Thank you."

Marielle was staring at Tetorō open mouthed. He turned to her. "I'm sure you must remember what it was like at Water Maple Manor, or did you not pay much attention to Elissa during the dress-up parties and Lady Purrcy's wedding preparations?" It was a scold and her eyes dropped as she considered it.

She turned away. "I'm sorry. I didn't properly pay attention, but I remember it."

"Very well," Tetorō said. "See that you keep trying, then." He said the last kindly to encourage her.

She nodded, then looked up at him. "Te-Tetora...," she bit her lip. "If you're going to be my sister-in-law, must you always be so formal towards me?"

Tetorō stopped in a bit of shock. She'd found an unexpected loophole he hadn't considered when he'd decided to set firmly in everyone's minds (spies and lords alike) how he was related to the newcomers, and Naotsugu in particular. He relented slightly. "No, not always, Lady Marie, but there are times where the proper respect must be given and only a few times in private that we may be more casual. For all I am a court Countess, you are a landed Duchess, second only to Lady Purrcy herself, and equal to Duke Sergiad."

Marielle gaped at him again. "I - I am?"

"Yes," he told her. "Dukes and duchesses are second highest ranking after king and queen, if you skip over prince and princess, who you must hold in higher regard also. Then it is the marques, such as Nyanta-san and Naotsugu, followed by the landed earls, though the court counts are the same level in ranking, if considered a little lesser because they remain in the court directly accountable to the king, when there is one. Below that in descending order are the viscount, then the baron, and then the knights who lead a company of soldiers in the name of the king, as Sir Michael does."

Marielle filed all that in her brain, blinking to take it all in. "I - I see."

"You've been allowed to accept Marquis Naotsugu as your consort because he is both of a sufficiently high status, being only one rank below yours, and because he is the King's Marshal, a high enough office to match your own high office and status. He will not receive the title of Duke of Akiba, however. The King has chosen to reserve that title for himself."

Marielle's eyes narrowed at Tetorō and she sucked on her lip for a bit, then nodded. "How is it you received the court Countess ranking?" she asked him.

"I was granted it when I became the Queen's Guard," he answered. "It is necessary that those who follow the Queen - and the King - are of high enough ranking to do them honor and pay them proper respect. This court has been told, however, that it is because my father was a landed earl and she wished to honor him by giving me an equivalent ranking when she called me up to serve her.

"No one questions why the King assigns rewards of rank, so if one asks why I am a Countess with that story and my brother is of higher ranking, be offended for Lord Naotsugu's sake and answer with one of the reasons I've already given you." Marielle nodded. "Are there any more questions I may answer for you?" he asked her.

She looked at him soberly, the asked quietly, "May I greet you with a hug tonight?"

He looked back, not changing his expression. "No."

She looked sad, but she nodded. "When it is appropriate, I would like to."

He curtsied slightly. "I will let Gretchen finish her work. Please excuse me." He waited - pointedly - for her to nod and excuse him before leaving the room to return to stand on the wall in the common room. He stayed lost and unthinking there until he heard his name called.

"Tetora, how was Gretchen tonight with the Duchess?" Nyanta's voice was light enough, but Tetorō knew Gareth had just entered the room from finishing putting Marielle to bed.

Tetorō stepped forward one step from the wall and curtsied slightly. "I requested the Duchess give an accounting of what Gretchen had done until my arrival. Based on her words, Gretchen performed her responsibilities precisely. I expect her to have Lady Marielle properly trained to her station in such matters before we must return to Akiba."

"Very well, mew both may be excused," Nyanta said with a tiny flick of an ear to dismiss them.

They curtsied together and left the room, Tetorō going before Gareth. When they were far enough down the hallway, Gareth reached out and took Tetorō's little fingers in two of his to get his attention. Tetorō looked back at him. He was looking worried. "Tetora," he asked quietly, "where will you go?"

Tetorō tried very hard to keep his emotions off his face. "I've been assigned to sleep with Sir Michael."

Gareth froze, then shook his head. "I was going to offer with me, since we would at least seem to be a proper pairing, but if it's been ordered...?"

Tetorō nodded. It had been. He slipped his hand to hold Gareth's more fully and pressed it in gratitude. He set his history, then whispered, "Truly, I'd rather I could accept your offer."

Gareth looked at him, then said, "Tetorō, he won't touch you. He's been faithful to his wife for years when out on tour of duty for months on end. He's comforted me and many of us when we needed it or lose our minds, but he won't do anything, I promise."

Tetorō looked at Gareth, then nodded because it was necessary to respond as expected. "Thank you." Gareth nodded and let go of Tetorō's hand.

Tetorō closed Michael's - and now his - room door behind him and leaned back on it, letting his head bump lightly to rest on it. He closed his eyes and tried to swallow around the lump forming in his throat. He distracted himself briefly by changing out his clothes for bedclothing. He could get away with the flannel shirt and pants the Princess wore, so he did. His body ached and he hadn't even crossed swords with anyone today to work it into exhaustion.

But he couldn't stay standing there. He looked around the room. A round table with a cushioned chair. A small settee that one could barely sit on sideways with their knees up. And...one bed. He'd needed it last night, or perish. Tonight he'd been seen. The spies knew the Duchess had been given his room. They'd seen the two maids excused at the same time, and the one watching this room right now had seen him enter it.

He had two minutes before the protective spell went up around the suite. He swallowed and it didn't help. His eyes went between the settee and the bed again. He slowly and reluctantly walked to the side of the bed, but when he put his hand on it, he couldn't do it. He sank to the floor and put his hands over his face to hide the expression that wouldn't stay in any longer.

He wanted to kill Nyanta. He went looking in the code realm and once again was completely frustrated at his complete inability to affect him. Every tiny thing he tried slipped off. Every large thing echoed back and tried to eat him instead, until he was finally tired enough from expending his health points on the effort that his hands slipped from his face and his head fell against the side of the bed. His tears were warm but leaving cool tracks on his cheeks as they slowly dripped unheeded.

He hated Nyanta for doing this to him. It was abuse in its worst sense and far more than he deserved. He'd only tried to save the goals of the guild, of Shiroe. Yes, they all wanted Inari dead, but that hadn't been the proper time. Nyanta should be properly apologetic and grateful they'd pulled him back from that brink of his rage, but instead he was punishing them for not letting him finish it then. Tetorō couldn't understand it. "Why, Shiroe? Why?" he whispered as sleep finally claimed him where he was.

Still, when warm hands lifted him and laid him in the bed, he woke enough to hold onto one of the hands and not let go until the warmth was in the bed with him. He was the smaller one. If either of them was going to sleep on the settee, it should be him. He wouldn't make Michael do that tonight.

-:-:-:-:-

Akatsuki looked over to Shiroe again. He was standing at the window streaked with rain falling outside the Nakasu inn room, looking out of it although she was sure he wasn't seeing anything outside of it. He looked like he was in pain again, like his burden was too heavy, like he'd been looking since that morning that she tried hard not to think about because it made her blush too hard and lose her ability to breathe.

She was still just as torn. He'd stood uncertainly at the inn desk when ordering their rooms, then looked at her with a desperately hurt look. She'd taken his sleeve in her hand, trying to comfort him with her presence. He'd turned back to the clerk and said, "Three doubles and a single."

That was expected, but when he turned to the rest of them, he'd hesitated again, then handed a key out. "Minori and Isuzu." Minori had taken the key. "Touya and Rudy." Touya had taken the key. Rudy was nervously looking around the inn. "KR." KR had taken the key with a funny look and then a shrug. Shiroe had kept the last key, and when they'd all retired, he'd brought her with him to the third double.

Akatsuki was sitting on the edge of her bed, sitting on her hands, trying to will them to stop feeling the tense muscles in his back. It was starting to feel like a curse. Like she'd learned something so painful it pierced through her palms. Only some of it anymore was because it had stirred such a sudden deep desire for him in her.

It was how he'd looked since then - this painful uncertainty that bowed his shoulders and doubled his worry wrinkle. That was more painful, and the thing that had caused him to tense up at that moment was the cause of it, the thing that had struck at her lord in a way she couldn't defend him from. She thought of Tetorō and of how he had saved them the last time Shiroe had been taken down like this.

Rising to her feet, she walked silently over to stand next to him - silently because that's how she always walked and couldn't do less. She reached up and took his cool hand in her burning one. The coolness of his hand helped relieve some of the pain in her own hand. She looked up into his face.

When he turned from his thoughts to look at her, she said, "I don't know what it is, but you're going to Cathedral and I don't know what to do. Please, come to bed and let me help you relax enough to sleep. Worrying about it won't help you accomplish your goals here in this place. Please trust them. They're doing their best, too."

Shiroe bent down and kissed her. When he stood up again she could see doubt still warring on his face. She reached up and put her other hot hand on his cheek which was also cool from standing close to the window. "If you're too distracted by watching them and not trusting them, then I will cut you off from watching them. It will be enough to learn it when they come. If you fail here, their efforts there will have been in vain and the pain you see will become reality for all of us."

Very real and deep pain flashed on his face. She pulled him to his bed and made him sit on it. "You will not watch again or I will use my dress sword on you for every time I catch you reviewing the history. Your lack of faith is not worthy of the Machiavelli in Glasses."

He bowed his head and closed his eyes. With a shudder he took a breath. When he began to curl up in pain, she pushed him to lying down on the bed and moved to sit at his head. She ran her fingers over his forehead until the tears could come. When he was asleep, she rose from the bed and covered him with the blanket. She studiously went to her own bed and lay down and forced herself to not think about the man whom she wanted to lie down next to and hold like the child he was tonight. She wouldn't be able to hold that perspective for very long if she was that close.

But she was still awake when he rolled over and moaned and called for her, and she couldn't refuse. She slipped over and slid down next to him and held him and he settled, his arm cuddling her closely as the tears slipped out from under his eyelids even though he was still asleep. She sighed and finally slipped into uneasy sleep herself.

The next morning, he looked at her contritely as her eyes scolded him. "I'm sorry," he said. "I won't watch any more. I'll trust them." She nodded firmly. "And...," she raised an eyebrow slightly, "thank you." She paused, then nodded again, a little more softly this time.

He held out his hand for hers and she gave it to him and let him give her a kiss as his payment. She made him hold it for longer just so he understood what he was doing to her. When he did understand it, his eyes flew open wide and he pulled away and stared at her, then slapped his free hand to his forehead. With a groan he said, "I'm sorry, Akatsuki. I forgot that was going on, too, and I've put you in the middle of it."

"Yes, you have," she scolded him. Shiroe was amazed she was angry enough to vocalize it, but it wasn't just anger. She was desperate. Desperate he either forcibly separate them, or he make it official so she could calm down.

He looked away, then sat down on the edge of the bed to look her in the eye properly. Sadly he said, "Akatsuki, I don't know what to do. I don't want to reject you, and I'd even be willing - under normal circumstances." Akatsuki blinked. That was full of things, like _yes_ and _things aren't what they seem_.

He looked at her for a while, reading her unspoken sentences, then said simply, "Inari is making all Adventurers want to have sex because it wants us to procreate. It's part of the next level, though I don't have all the details to understand it yet. At the level and rate it wants that, we'd have to be here for another hundred years, or every Adventurer female would have to be constantly pregnant and giving birth for the next five years before we could go home.

"It isn't acceptable either way. I've come up with an alternative, but I can't suggest it until I'm sure that's what's in the next level and Purrcy's confirmed it. Right now it's my guess based on her early hints."

Shiroe swallowed, embarrassment rising now. "I'd be willing...except that you will surely become pregnant and we can't afford that for as long as we are fighting in this dungeon. I need you as my guard.

"I know you will because it wants me and my genetics more than it wants anyone else. Even one child from me would be an extra rare and extremely high level reward for this planet." Very firmly, emphasizing each word, he ended with, "I am not willing to reward this planet in that way. It has not earned such a thing properly." His eyes were blazing with anger and Akatsuki firmed her spine against it.

She took a breath and thought hard. It wasn't impossible to fight the desire, and understanding why she was feeling it and what the consequence of following through on it would do gave her something to hold onto to fight it. She finally nodded.

"Shiroe...," he nodded a brief _I'm listening_ nod, "I'll be able to fight it now, but...if it gets bad, will you say 'no' strenuously? I'll tell you when it's getting hard. And...you may find that if you refuse me, others will step into that hole, particularly if this world wants that reward so badly. Minori would agree immediately if she were pushed into feeling what I've been feeling, and I will have to fight her or you would have to send her away."

Shiroe leaned back and blinked and she could tell he didn't like that thought. Minori was too young still for getting pregnant, even if the child was left here, and perhaps especially if it was left here. Even Akatsuki could feel that - the desire to have his child and the pain that would come at knowing they were leaving it behind. They might not....

She opened her mouth. "Shiroe. If we have children here, we won't be able to leave, probably ever. We won't be able to leave them behind." His eyes went wider than she'd ever seen and the understanding and despair in his eyes were heavy. He dropped his eyes so she didn't have to carry that look. She shifted and squeezed the hand she was still holding. "Shiroe, what did you think they wanted children for?"

"As empty shells to fill with Adventurers coming here from Earth so we could have the two-way door. I can't believe that the psyche that this world would fill them with would be useful. They would at best only be hero level. If this world really wants Adventurers, Earth souls would have to come to fill them." He looked away. "But...if it wants to keep us as desperately as we want to go home, then we are in a race."

He put his hand to his forehead and his shoulders slumped even more. "And I've already given it the beginnings, for thinking wrongly."

Akatsuki's eyes widened, and her heart's tempo increased. "Who?" she whispered.

"Naotsugu and Marie," he groaned. Akatsuki hissed in a breath and groaned as well, her face crumpling. That could almost have been the worst pairing to make live that separation. "It's still in the experimental stages. No one knows if it can even happen, but I believe the world will figure out the way eventually. But because I've let them break the restraint, they can't come back. It will be too hard now."

He let go of her hand and put his head in both of his hands. "Akatsuki," he cried and her heart hurt to hear it, "it's only one of many difficult things that have happened in the last few days, but can I even win now? All of them piling up on each other --" he began to shiver.

Akatsuki took him in her arms and held him, trying to think of what to say. Finally, with a sigh because she didn't want to bring her up, she said, "Shiroe, what did Purrcy say? ...She said she will survive. As long as we keep walking, as long as we keep getting up to try again, even if we die and have to resurrect, we can win in the end. And she told Michael ...she always plans for the failure as well. If she hasn't already given you the answer, then she trusts you'll be able to come up with it on your own.

"Take a breath and rest. It's new information, but you haven't failed yet. It happens all the time in hard dungeons. Step back and look at it again. Sit and think instead of continuing to rush forward. Fight where you are now and come back to it later if you have to.

"Today's goals have to be met. Don't let the war fail because you get distracted from the battle at hand. I'll help you fight it between you and me so you can focus on the things that are important today, and when it becomes the thing of today, we'll work on it together because it will be the right battle to be fighting then."

His arms came up to wrap around her and hold her. "You know, I think I love you," he said without looking up at her. "And I'm sure this is the right feeling to go with a kiss, but I'm equally as sure this is the wrong time for one."

She smiled. "I would agree. Thank you."

"No. Thank you." He took a clearer breath and she felt better, too. Somehow saying a lot more words than normal had helped him recover enough to not Cathedral.

Now if they could get through this next bit, he might be able to find the time to work on that particular sticky problem. She hoped it was sooner than later. For all she would fight it, she could feel it would become difficult before she wanted it to.


	43. Negotiations in Nakasu

"Commander, Sir."

Michael came awake instantly, but didn't move. "Go ahead, Master Chief."

"The train's arrived. It's four-thirty. Should I have them sit outside Akiba to transport all the troops at once or should I send them on to the port for installation in the ship?"

"Calasin's going to need to put his products on it. The port's a little far for that. Go ahead and wake him up. They're used to odd hour deliveries. Once that's loaded, if there's still daylight, you can give a two hour loading call, then anyone else walks after that.

"We've got one more task here before we come home, but an estimated E.T.A. would be just before dinner. Have the ship captain give you a put-out time for tomorrow morning. Anyone not on the ship by then gets left behind."

"Yes, Sir."

"How're the Maintenance crew doing?" Michael asked.

"Fine, on the outside. On their shifts out they're sober but say they're making positive progress," MasterChiefS7 reported.

"Good. Things on the outside here are getting rough and the storm's moving in, but the goals are being met just fine. Northern tasks all were green." Next to Michael, Tetorō stirred. Michael was silent until his partner settled again. "Report from the south?"

"Meet the final goal today, but the rest checked green. Intel says it's a bit tight sometimes down there. Suggest we take a vacation there when we get next leave. Plenty of things to mow down we don't get to see up here, plus good wilderness survival practice."

"Might be a good place to go, then," Michael was agreeable. "Tell them to keep an ear out for an item called the 'Godslayer'. Heard about it recently and think I'd like to get my hands on it. Sweet items are hard to come by these days."

"Roger. Over."

"Out." Michael lay there thinking for a bit, then slid out of the bed and headed for the bathroom. It was a bit early, but he may as well, now that he was awake. If it looked like he'd slept on the couch all night that would be for the better. From the bathroom, he headed for the kitchen and a drink of water. He sat at the table, his hands clasped around the glass while he thought.

It had been hard to stand and watch Tetorō throw himself at Nyanta over and over again last night. If he'd been trying that in his physical body, he'd have had bloodied fingers and be torn up with flack. It had been the desperation of the trapped.

Michael hadn't planned on staying in the room at all, but he couldn't just leave Tetorō on the floor like that. He was going to put him to bed and walk back out. There were two couches in the front room and he'd made sure he was lying on one just before the shields on the suite went up.

He wasn't quite sure why Tetorō had wanted him to stay this time. He was sure the panic and the attack against Nyanta had been because Tetorō had been told to stay in Michael's room. It was one thing to seek out healing when you needed it. Quite another to be told to do it, particularly when you were roleplaying a female being told to sleep in a room that had been assigned to the male you just might be the lover of. But of the two of them, Michael held lesser rank. It hadn't been an improper assignment. He could have pushed the guards down a room, but he was just one person and the couch was fine with him.

The hardest part was that when Tetorō was told to do something, he always took the view that the teller was out to get him. Michael had learned to suggest and request, noticing that Shiroe also always interacted with him in that way. The only time Tetorō could take an order and just act on it was in the middle of battle. In this environment, lords and leaders didn't request, they were expected to be obeyed.

There was something deeper in Tetorō for him to not be able to cope with the role-play when it clashed with that trait of his. Given the reaction the night before, it was worth it to bet it all on black that it was familial abuse. His carefully built world, where Nyanta was the father of the guild, had come crashing around his ears by something that Nyanta had said to him when they'd been alone.

Michael sighed and slipped into the code realm and with great stealth and invisibility hunted down Tetorō's history and picked it up at the point he'd left the garden practice area with Purrcy. It couldn't tell him what Tetorō had been thinking or feeling, but it could at least tell him what Nyanta had done and said.

When he hit the last statement of that night, Michael groaned. It was the worst thing Tetorō could have heard just then, the admission from Nyanta that not only did he know exactly what was going on, but he was going to increase the punishment just because Tetorō had been obedient. That's how Tetorō would have interpreted it, for sure.

And then last night's order would have only added to it. There's no way Tetorō would have seen it as Nyanta trying to be helpful and at worst give him the opportunity to be with his partner. Michael put his hands over his face and rubbed it lightly. This was about the worst they could have run into, really, and he wasn't quite sure how to dig his partner out of the foxhole of paranoia he'd dug himself into.

With a sigh, he checked the time, then walked back down the sleeping quarters hallway and entered the one down from his. He walked up next to Chappie and put his hand on his shoulder lightly until the eyes snapped open and found him. When Chappie nodded, Michael moved back to let him up from his bed. As they stepped from the room, Michael indicated he could use the bathroom first if he wanted. As Chappie moved to go, he stopped. "It's Tetorō?" Michael nodded. "Get Gareth up, too."

Michael crossed the hallway and repeated the wake up sequence. Gareth was up quickly, a worried look on his face. When they hit the hall Michael told him Tetorō was still sleeping and this was just a conference. Gareth relaxed a bit and took his turn in the bathroom.

As they turned to head out, there was suddenly a large presence behind them and two arms - not really as large as the presence itself - wrapped themselves around the shoulders of the two at the back. Very quietly, Naotsugu said, "So, where's this place you guys go to practice? I usually work out this time of morning and would love to join you." Michael looked back at him and nodded, leading the way.

The four spent the next hour working out physically and hashed out a plan to help guide Tetorō back to proper mental health, although they'd have to work around the rest of today. At the end of it all, Chappie put away his sword and sighed. "For all we're trying hard, though, don't expect it to work very well."

They looked at him, not understanding. "It's not Tetorō. I think this plan would help him just fine. ...It's Mister Nyanta. He's a psychologist. It's hard to not believe he knew exactly what he was doing."

The chaplain took a breath. "He still meets with me, but I've been getting the sense lately that it's for form and appearance only. He knows exactly what to say, but it's not what's really in there lately. Something happened in the Gate of Time, is all I've been able to figure. He's not been straight since then."

"I would have to say that even for him he was less communicative when I picked him up. But, is it possible that it started before that, the stuff that got him put on probation in the first place?" Naotsugu asked. "That was odd behavior even for him, though I can understand being irritated with all the stuff going on. ...But he was able to joke about it on the way out...."

He frowned, rubbing his shoulder absentmindedly where Michael had gotten in a blow during the practice. "Even so, Nyanta-san knows Tetorō's male from the beginning. It really is probably just him trying to say he wasn't going to be letting up on Purrcy and the damn female god hanging around." He heaved a huge sigh. "Like we need this kind of stuff added on top of being at the beginning of a dangerous level and with our parties divided."

Michael looked at Gareth, who was looking at him. "Division," Gareth said.

Michael nodded. "Why don't the rest of you head back. Gretchen will be needed soon and Naotsugu might get a pass because it's his pattern and we were with him, but he didn't get permission last night to come out this morning. I'm going to contact Shiroe."

Gareth startled and stiffened, suddenly in a panic. He turned to Naotsugu. "Ah, you'll kill me. I need to tell you what I'm ordered to do and you have to let me do it. Miss Marielle was very angry with me last night until I promised I'd have Tetorō come explain, and she was unhappy even after that.

"I'd let you do it, since a husband at a lower level can if he wants to, but she's in training, and so are you, so I can't." He slumped in defeat and resignation. "God this is so difficult from the beginning and it only gets worse. I'm glad we go home soon."

"Today," Michael interjected. "Train arrived. That's why I was awake." _Everyone_  slumped in relief. Not having to spend one more night in this place would help nerves better than anything else that could be done.

Michael clapped Gareth on the shoulder. "Tell him when you get there, just before you do it. If you talk it before you walk it then they know what to expect. You're running out of time to do it now, and she needs to hear it too." Gareth nodded and the three got walking.

As Michael watched them walk off, he suddenly realized that none of them was of rank to approve their being out...except him. He groaned and called them to wait for him. He was left with only being able to send a text to Shiroe.

-:-:-:-:-

"Mew were out this morning?" Nyanta asked at breakfast as he calmly sliced the breakfast ham on his plate. He'd arrived in the kitchen for cooking shortly after they'd arrived back in the suite.

"Naotsugu asked if he could keep up his routine and I was up anyway," Michael answered calmly. "I woke up two punching bags for us to take along so we could warm up before the boulder had to defend itself from the freight train. It was a good practice, though. I've been getting flabby from only watching everyone this whole week."

He winked at Tetorō who had lifted his head to stare at him for negating all the beatings he'd been getting from Nyanta. Tetorō looked like he didn't know how to take that and Michael moved smoothly on. "I was up because I'd received word the train has arrived. They'll load it with product today and put it on the Ocypete. We need to be back today to be on board by six forty-five a.m. tomorrow." That news brought a bit of excitement to the room.

Nyanta nodded. "Very well. Meowrielle, we'll see to it mew have meowr meeting with Iselius this morning. Purrcy will go with mew and the maids, Michael-nyan, Meowtsugu, Schedules-nyan, and Training-nyan. I'll go and complete my negotiations with Records-nyan and Brenner-nyan.

"Because they've hosted us graciously, we must also repay the court. We'll hold a tea for them in the garden. I will expect all of mew to have the purroper refreshments ready and set out by tea time. I'll invite the appropriate purrsons and arrive with them. We may make our purroper farewells after the tea."

There were blinks around the table, then Marielle asked, very politely, "May we know a rough estimate of numbers of who may come?" They were relieved when Nyanta allowed that much and calculated for them. It was a rather high number, though.

Purrcy smiled. "It's good we have the best event planner in all of Akiba with us. I'm sure we'll be able to host a tea sufficiently. They are rather dull and boring after all, compared to the events Adventurers put on." She looked at Nyanta, "Unless you'd like for us to give it enough Adventurer flair to leave them on a slightly overwhelming and confusing note?"

Nyanta shook his head. "We may keep to the noble art of European teas." Purrcy tipped her head in acknowledgement. While it was still a tall order, Purrcy's words helped everyone settle down a bit.

As the larger of the two groups headed for the location the messenger was leading them to meet with Iselius, Purrcy and Marielle put their heads together and came up with the menu. As questions came up, Purrcy very openly asked their messenger for the answer, expecting answers and receiving them, although on occasion it was an answer delayed. Marielle paid close attention to Purrcy's interactions with the messenger, then asked her own questions in a similar manner.

In this way she was taught for the entire morning, although she was most finely her sunny self when they spoke with Iselius, charming him immensely. They quickly planned the general outline of the Maihama fashion show and Marielle promised she would put together the details and send them to him for his approval. He would have to acquire the personnel to put it together in Maihama, but she would arrive to supervise the actual models and the progress of the activity.

When all was settled, they chatted just a little longer pleasantly, then they made their farewells to Iselius and returned to the suite. Once there, everyone pitched in to cook and prepare the tea. Tea sets, food trays, plates and other dishes, and tables arrived from the castle kitchens and were set up in the garden by the castle servants, having been requisitioned through the messenger on the way to meet Iselius.

It was understood easily that Adventurers wouldn't have the numbers of dishes and such things available when they'd been traveling, or they would have had to bring an entire train of wagons as if they'd been moving in. While that was sometimes done for visits of state, such a large retinue would have been even more expensive for the Duke than they were willing to make him pay. He wasn't one of their vassals who needed restraining, as had been done in the past by kings and royals who visited in large numbers like that to drain the coffers of their potential rivals. They had imposed on him and of necessity had to impose just a little more and borrow his own dishes.

Other than that, they spent the time making the tea sandwiches in an assembly line and the light salads were handled quickly by hands well practiced to blades, although they used their smaller knives in the kitchen rather than the swords. In all, it ended up being a rather fun mid-day for being at the castle in comparison to what they'd been dealing with.

Marielle's sunny disposition and Naotsugu's steady calm helped lift them as well. That helped fortify them for the tea, and it went well for all of them. It didn't hurt that both sides were relieved that they would be gone after this. Eight days had been a long time to play at being high nobles under the constant judgmental eyes of those used to nobility from birth. If anything, it made them glad they were Adventurers who could merely enjoy pretending to be nobility - occasionally. They chose to not consider what it would mean if they had to remain on Theldesia and really fit into this kind of society.

When that was the summary Nyanta gave Shiroe that evening from the guild hall, and Michael confirmed when they finally talked, Shiroe felt an increase in the worry that Akatsuki's words had started in his belly. It felt like as they completed these quests that they were to teach them how to remain on this world, or were meant to keep them here regardless of their own wishes. He reviewed how everything they were doing fit into that pattern, and in the dark of that night he was not pleased.

-:-:-:-:-

Earlier that day, Shiroe had been at another table to begin another negotiation, now his fourth on this journey. In this one, his experience with the Nakasu Defense Front was very minimal. He would only have his own experience as a negotiator to go on and, if he was lucky, his name and reputation from the gaming days. He didn't like to pull on the latter if he could help it, but in this case it might be the turning of the key to finding peace for the area.

He stood at one long side of the table until everyone arrived, giving them a more humble beginning since they were all strangers who he wanted to make into colleagues. When the five representatives of the NDF were present and seated across from him, Shiroe began. "Thank you for coming. My name is Shiroe, an Adventurer living in Akiba.

"I've come hoping to resolve the issues between you and Plant Hwayden, now that the guildmistress and her heavy hands have been removed from the guild. It was very unfortunate that such a thing happened so quickly when we arrived here after the catastrophe. I don't know if you know, but in Akiba we formed a Round Table Council of guilds to support the city and set up a few necessary laws to keep the peace and prevent abuse.

"When the guild and leadership structure of Minami changed, they asked me and a few other members of the Council to come help them get restructured so they could move forward in a better direction. They've been working hard for the last several months, trying to get things inside the city turned around for the betterment of the Adventurers and People of the Land both.

"Since they seemed to need a bit of help outside the city with the things that had been put into place by the previous leadership, I offered to come. I'd really like to see everyone get along, or at least not have us fighting each other. It's bad enough we have to fight the monsters and figure out how to deal with the People of the Land and a world not our own. I'm sure the last several years have been difficult for you. What can we do to help fix what was done?"

"Are they really just going to open their fists and let us walk away?" the man sitting directly across from him asked.

"May I ask your name?" Shiroe asked first, since it was polite to ask, not just read the status data.

"Brody Broadblade." He was a thin ritian with markings on the back of one hand and across the left part of his forehead, whose status said he was a Sorcerer, although he wore a sword on his belt. Shiroe was quite sure he used it regularly both to defend his ideals and his company. The Intelligence detail of the Eagles had already given Shiroe his name. Now that it was confirmed that's who he was talking to, negotiations could begin officially.

"The answer to your question, Mister Brody, is 'yes'." The entire group across the table was surprised by his answer, but remained suspicious. "I assume you've been working hard to be independent and have many ideas on how to maintain the peace in Nakasu yourselves; however, I don't want to just say that and walk away. Not if you're in any kind of need. That wouldn't be kind, either.

"The Adventurers of Akiba have let me know that if there's anything you need, they'd be happy to send it to you, once you're content you've received the main need." He pushed up his glasses mildly. "I assume that need is an apology and a promise that Plant Hwayden will actually leave you alone."

Brody was sitting upright in his chair, considering Shiroe carefully. "That would be a good start, yes. But a simple promise is air, easily broken."

"True," Shiroe nodded. He sat down. "I am the Scrivener of the East. What that means is that I can write high level contracts that are magically binding. When you and Plant Hwayden have agreed on the terms of the peace accord, I will scribe them. Upon being signed, they will be binding upon both parties. The promises will not be air only." With those words, the negotiation began in earnest.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe was glad for the recess when the main negotiation was completed. He'd had to redirect them any number of times to what was reasonable and rational, since their completely understandable anger kept making them wander into the realm of ridiculous (must supply eight firedrakes to be used for such and such). It wasn't too surprising for Adventurers used to gaming, but he wanted them to understand that they were talking real life in this case. There was a dividing line that was important.

There was also the matter of his own personal preference for simplicity. He'd finally been able to get that point across by pointing out that everyone in Nakasu was going to have to remember most seriously every point of the contract or it would be considered broken by the law and the magic, and any penalty associated with it would apply to all the Adventurers in the city. They'd decided pretty quickly they didn't want to pay for one bad apple's decision and backed off to the basics for the rest of the negotiation.

KR had already officially apologized, and the draft statements of the contract were in Shiroe's file. Now he needed to craft the document. The delegates from the NDF had left to go have lunch, saying to each other on the way out that they'd be meeting with others of the group to tell them what had been done and said.

Shiroe had assigned the juniors, who had spent that time investigating the city, to keeping track of KR and keeping him both out of trouble and protecting him because he had the Plant Hwayden guild tag. KR's task was to fetch together his guild members in and around Nakasu for their own education as to what was going on. Nakalnad had already given him stern instructions on what he was to tell them.

Intelligence was scattered around the city, keeping tabs on the undercurrent, which should start bubbling in about fifteen to thirty minutes. H/R was watching over the juniors. Reed and Charlie were set up in a nearby cafe so they could come to Shiroe at a moment's notice if necessary, and to be central control for the rest in the city. Secretary and P/R were Shiroe's visible guards, background support watching over the door and to keep the peace if necessary, although so far it hadn't been.

Shiroe pulled out his scribing tools, but before he could set them out for comfortable writing, a plate of warm food and a cup of tea appeared in front of him. "Please eat first, my lord," Akatsuki said quietly. "You will both lose yourself for quite some time, and you will be using up your HP and MP. It would be better to start strong."

Shiroe blinked, then nodded. "Please join me so your own mind will stay sharp as well. I know it's very dull and boring to watch a man hunch over a piece of paper for hours."

"You don't take hours to write contracts like this one," she smiled at him and sat down with her own plate and teacup. "And I like to watch you work."

"I've always wondered why you sit in my office for hours in the monotonous silence," he teased her. "Surely I'm not that entertaining." She blushed, like he knew she would and he smiled at her.

They ate fairly quickly and she left the table, taking the dishes up, to let him work. A few times there was noise from the doorway, indicating that someone had come, but he wasn't personally interrupted, indicating it hadn't been critical and Akatsuki had handled it.

When he finally put down the phoenix feather pen he used for high level documents and stretched out his arms over his head, flexing his fingers, Akatsuki was standing nearby waiting for him. She stayed silent until he'd cleaned up everything but the contract, pen, and ink pot, all of which he set properly in position for the signing.

Then thinking better of just leaving them out, he put them all as one grouping into his list. It would look just as neat when they came out again. He sat back and looked at Akatsuki. "Who came?"

"Brody came by a few times. He would like to visit with you before the signing, he says 'unofficially'."

Shiroe nodded. He'd already put Brody in his friend list. "Mister Brody, it's Shiroe. I can visit with you now, if you like."

"Ahhh...okay. I'll be right there." Likely he'd been surprised that Shiroe had been as thorough as to friendlist him before he'd walked out the door.

While they waited for Brody to arrive, Secretary cast a combination HP/MP healing spell on Shiroe and followed it up with another boost of MP. Shiroe felt better after that by quite a bit. This scroll hadn't taken as much to write as the one he'd written for Minami since that had two lines of difficult world magic in it, but it was still region level magic.

He'd taken a little extra long to physically write it, comparing to see if the time aspect counted for his kind of magic like the Hacker magic did. He thought it might have some effect. It had worked somewhat similarly with the two lines of world magic that he had spent so many hours crafting in his head first before writing them down in Minami.

Akatsuki handed him a container of water and he drank it down, thanked her, and gave it back. Brody arrived and was allowed in this time. He strode up to the table, on the other side again, then paused uncertainly.

Becoming used to guessing ages, just that much made Shiroe place him in the average age range of gamer, most likely eighteen to twenty-two. Just enough to be beginning to fight for his own independence, but not experienced enough to know quite how to handle it. While surely the last two-plus years had helped hone some of that, it had been in the wilds of the Ninetails Dominion, not the modern Japan it should have been.

It was for this reason Shiroe had made the offer early that he wouldn't just leave them. They needed to have a truly stable base for this city before he left it so it could move forward in a rational and real way. He smiled kindly. "What can I do for you, Mister Brody?"

"Die."

"Why?" Shiroe raised a mild eyebrow.

"You've all left us here too long."

"I would admit that having to be here on Theldesia for over two years is too long, yes." He gauged the young man in front of him and decided to wait.

"Why didn't you come before, if you knew we were struggling with them?"

"We couldn't. Their stranglehold on Westlande and the passages between Akiba and Nakasu meant as much death or imprisonment for anyone not of Plant Hwayden from the north as it did from here. We had to work very hard to keep them from taking over Eastal. I did do what I could for the dissidents in Minami, though, and they are who finally took down the guildmistress and her supporters in the Ten Seat Council. I've come as soon as I could after that."

He waited while Brody swallowed that bitter pill, accepted it, and moved on. "What are you going to do next?"

"Help you in whatever way you need." Brody scowled slightly. Shiroe leaned forward. "Brody, is there a governing body ready to step in and take the place of the rule of Plant Hwayden?"

Brody shook his head unhappily. "No. We've just been angry and fighting back. We know we want to live in peace and play the game until we can go home - and we all want to go home sooner than later at this point."

"Please, sit down," Shiroe motioned and Brody sat directly across from him again, perched on the edge of his seat. "You've come as the voice of the Nakasu Defense Front. Will they continue to listen to you after today? And do the ones that aren't part of the Front also listen to you, even if they disagree?"

Brody fidgeted a bit, then sighed. "They do, but I think it's just because I'm the most forceful about it all. I'd like to stop shouting and go play now, too."

"...But?"

Brody slumped. "I've been doing this for two years now. I might not know a lot, but I have learned that if there isn't anyone around to keep people moving in the right direction, they get lost and start fighting between themselves instead of doing useful things." He wrinkled his nose. "I'm sure I'm not the right person, but someone should probably be around to make sure things...."

He trailed off and looked away, then said, "I'd like to see something like your Round Table, where enough of us can work together to keep things going well and so that we don't get another horrible person making us do all this again." He looked at his hands and pursed his lips, then said, "I was just talking to the ones who've been the most into getting their freedom - like me - and none of them wants to help."

Shiroe sighed lightly and sat back. "How many guilds are there, or were before Plant Hwayden?"

"A few."

"Are the guildmasters still here?"

He shrugged. "Where else would they go?"

"Go call them together and I'll meet with them and with you. Maybe they'll be willing to step back up again and help. Guildmasters become that because they care about people and about them having a good time together. They also learn the skills necessary to keep people working together. It's difficult sometimes for them to work together because the different guilds have different purposes or ideals, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it for them all to try.

"It does help to have one person they can all turn to in the end to make a final decision once the discussion is done or things might not get resolved and moving forward, but just being willing to work together is a lot better than everyone fending for themselves."

Brody was nodding in agreement with the sentiment. "Alright. I'll go see who I can find that will come. Should we do the signing before then or after?"

"After. If those who will be the leaders don't understand or agree, then we haven't started right. Of course, this isn't setting the laws of the city, so it's a little less important that they agree with everything in it.

"And Brody," he checked the progress of the already moving young man, "if there is someone who was running things in Nakasu from within Plant Hwayden who really understands how to keep things together and moving forward, please don't shut that person out. Even that one is having a rough time right now. There's no one to support him or her from Minami and you don't need a war in the city after I leave. This contract won't be binding in the same way for them. They're also citizens of Nakasu.

"Even if you don't like them or trust them, sometimes we have to work with people we consider enemies in order to have the peace we want. Remember the United Nations of Earth. A lot of ambassadors sat in those negotiation rooms that came from countries at war with each other and that was the only thing that kept the wars of words and posturing from becoming wars of guns and bombs."

Shiroe added one more thing to help him get over that sticky issue. "Besides, we've all proven it over and over when we go on raids. Working together doing hard things and winning in the end regardless of the cost breaks down barriers and makes us understand how to work with people of all kinds. We don't have to like the Cleric that just healed us - we just have to protect him so we can stay alive to win. He didn't have to heal us, but if he hadn't even he would have died when that blow came. That's how governance works, too."

Brody understood. He nodded and walked out the door. Shiroe sighed. So far things were moving forward positively. "Intelligence, report." By now the city as a whole would be ringing with the news of the peace agreement and starting to react to it. He hoped the direction would remain positive.

-:-:-:-:-

Next was the general meeting with those who had been the leadership of Plant Hwayden in Nakasu. For all Shiroe had told Brody to fetch the person in charge, that one was already on his way, summoned by KR. It was as much an interview of that person and the few others that were his direct reports as it was a meeting to explain exactly what had gone on in Minami and what it meant for them in Nakasu.

Just like before in Minami, Shiroe was careful to slowly let the Plant Hwayden people understand that they weren't in charge any more, but that it meant they could go out and play again instead of beat their heads against the requirements placed on them.

Those who really needed to just be in charge or be bullies, KR ordered to return to Minami for reassignment. It would be easier to keep them reined in there. A lot of them, once they got used to the idea, would stay and start playing, including a set who had found a natural resource in the area they were enjoying working and experimenting with.

That was a side benefit that would be helpful to the city as a whole. Shiroe encouraged them to create a department or to reguild and sell their products and set up an extra meeting with them on the side for the next day to see what they were doing. If they could take some of the product with them on the merchant trip that would be particularly of benefit to the city.

In the end Shiroe was able to find one department head that was reasonable, fairly accepting of the changes, and had that tired look about her that said she was used to putting in the hours necessary to see that her department moved the way it should. Shiroe almost laughed when it was the Chief of Police. Somehow they did seem the most responsible in the end.

Shiroe kept her back when the others left, although KR remained this time. "So...I have a proposition for you, Kiara, now that our goal is to keep as many people out of the prison as possible." She looked at him and nodded. "How would you like to change jobs and not have to spend time on manhunts?"

She looked at him like he was crazy. "You do know that people will still do stupid stuff?"

"Sure," he agreed, "but that's small fry stuff, and once things are rolling, they'll do a lot of self-policing." He leaned his chin on his hand. "I'd like to assign you to be the Plant Hwayden representative on the governing board of Nakasu when it's formed in the next few hours or so.

"You can keep doing policing, too. It's a necessary function of a city government, after all, but you won't have to focus everything on just that. You've got a good set of deputies, one in particular that knows his stuff pretty good and already supports you well. Set him up in your office over there and you come here."

She looked at Shiroe tiredly. "You know that's more work, right?"

Shiroe shook his head. "No, it's not, not really. It won't be just you, and you won't be in charge of it all. A city isn't run by only one person carrying it all. You know that. Some of the ones who will end up on the board don't, or realize it and have already asked for the help.

"We all know that if there isn't a Plant Hwayden representative on the governing body there will be reverse discrimination pretty quickly, and then your cells will be full all over again - or the prison will be burned to the ground which isn't useful either. I think you have the qualifications to be that representative. Will you do it?" He gave her time to think about it, asking her to stay around the building so they could let her know when the first exploratory meeting would begin. She wouldn't have to decide until that meeting.

That much done felt good, and nothing awful was coming in yet on the reports going to Charlie that Shiroe was now listening to on an open chat line to the guild party. Shiroe stood, stretched and held out his hand. Akatsuki's smaller, warm hand entered his and he clasped it tightly for just one moment. They walked out of the room in companionable silence.

He walked them out to the exterior entryway of the government building of Nakasu and stood on the top step with her, the two guards behind them. He watched the people walking around the central square for a while, just getting the feel of the atmosphere and enjoying standing outside for a bit, then he nodded. When Akatsuki shifted slightly, he held on a little tighter to her hand. She didn't need to leave for this.

The television screens in the square and around the city came to life. They weren't used much in Nakasu, but it being a tributary of Minami it had them. Charlie gave the countdown on the guild chat and Shiroe smiled. "Citizens of Nakasu, hello. My name is Shiroe. I've come from Akiba. I wanted to be the first to congratulate you on your return to being your own free Adventurer city."

"We of Akiba wish to extend to you the hand of friendship. We've been working together with others of the city to create a positive peaceful alliance between all the Adventurer cities of Yamato with the ultimate goal to be finding the way home to Earth. We are all tired of being here and wish to return to our families and lives left behind.

"I'm pleased to tell you that in the last half year there have been a few very hopeful and positive steps to reaching that goal. We've learned some things about this world and how we got here that are pointing the way back home in ways we only hoped to find a year ago." He had the rapt attention of every Adventurer in the city, and those who didn't know were being called to and running to get where they could see the screens. He paused to let more of them do just that. He needed to talk to all of them.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe had barely sat back to the table again, a tea cup appearing in Akatsuki's hand to give him, when Brody came running into the room. He slammed his hands down on the table across from Shiroe and stared at him. "You're not kidding us are you? You've really made real progress on getting us home?"

Shiroe smiled. "No, I'm not, and yes, we have. It's my personal goal - to get us all home. There are a number of us working on it together and we make little bits of progress all the time, but it's like I said - there are things we're going to have to all work together on to get there."

"I'm going," Brody said definitively. "I'll come back here and work hard, but I've got to go and help. I'm going with you to China. If that will help me get back home," tears welled up in his eyes, then began to spill over, "then I'm going."

Shiroe nodded. "You can go, but you should know that Nakalnad, the former General and current guildmaster of Plant Hwayden is also going. He has the most experience with these dungeons. He'll be running it, and I'll be the strategist. Can you do that?"

"If he's still there, then he was willing to make changes for the better. I can do that." Brody said it calmly and firmly.

"Good," Shiroe nodded. "We won't leave here until the city government is set and things are stable enough that it won't fall apart. I'm hopeful that's in two days, maybe three."

Brody stood up straight, placed his arms at his side, and bowed formally. "Thank you, Shiroe-sempai."

Shiroe nodded. "It's my pleasure. ...Were you able to find and convince any guildmasters to come?"

Brody was startled for a second, then smiled. "They're coming behind me and should be here soon. I couldn't wait to talk to you. They weren't too sure, but when we stopped to watch your broadcast, that made them a lot more interested in at least coming to meet you."

"Please sit there," he pointed at the seat across from him. This time, Shiroe was in the head seat. Brody sat, then looked around at the table arrangement with a little concern. "Kiara, please sit at Brody's right," Shiroe invited her. She'd been standing in the room, waiting.

Kiara gave Shiroe a little look, but he knew she recognized Brody. He'd been the number one wanted man for a long time now. Brody himself was looking suddenly like a viper was arriving too close to him. She looked back at him with a dry, resigned look. "He's assigned me to be the Plant Hwayden representative and told me to give my junior the desk job, although this will probably be a worse desk job."

Brody blinked. "Well, he did warn me that I'd have to work with someone I probably wouldn't trust." He sighed. "But really, I do trust you. I trust you to do exactly what needs to be done, and with great efficiency. It was really hard to hide from you when you came out yourself to find me. Everyone else was lazy.

"-- Well, except your junior. I'd rather you sat there than him. He's a bulldog that won't let go. You'd at least back off enough to make it look like you were done looking before springing the trap and let me breathe a little."

Shiroe, who wasn't looking directly at either one of them but was paying attention, caught a little bit of a blush on Kiara's cheeks. He glanced at Akatsuki and directed her attention to Kiara. After a bit, Akatsuki looked back at Shiroe her eyes wide. He gave a little raise of his eyebrow and a nod. She gave a faint smile and shook her head, then gave a somewhat definitive nod. He returned to his own thoughts. That was sufficient. The two at the top would do just fine.

He let the invited guildmasters settle themselves around the table where they would, knowing that where that was the first time would tell him as much about them as their words. Both Kiara, and KR sitting on Shiroe's right and laughing at him, were given looks and an extra seat of space, but neither of them let it bother them.

When things seemed settled, Shiroe asked, "Is this everyone?" Brody nodded, so he continued. "Brody, will you please make the introductions and then let everyone know what you're thinking?" He was pleased when Brody took to his lessons of the afternoon quite well and was as natural a leader as he didn't know he was.

Brody and one other guildmaster signed the peace agreement for the Nakasu Defense Front and independent Adventurer side. KR and Kiara signed it for the Plant Hwayden side and it was passed to Shiroe. He reviewed it quickly one last time, set his intention firmly in mind, then signed it as well.

The contract disappeared in a towering shower of light, like they all did for some reason when they were high level spell scrolls. In the fading light, he saw a circular item where the scroll had been. He snatched it off the table and set it in his lap. He gripped the narrow metal tightly in his hands, then it was in his item list.

He didn't want it and wasn't pleased with it at all. That wasn't what he was and wasn't why he'd done all this. It was, in fact, the antithesis of what he was and his intentions. But he couldn't throw it away, and he couldn't return it. That's not how quest rewards worked. He ground his teeth slightly, then set the frustration aside. There were other things to be doing right now.

-:-:-:-:-

One more scroll later, and the government of the city of Nakasu was set up. Brody had wanted to call the governing body the Ambassadors of Nakasu and no one had complained. Shiroe had all of the members sign that document - not including himself or KR since it wasn't their city - and it too went up in golden light, although not so tall or brilliant since it was only for the city.

When that was completed, Shiroe stood up and KR stood with him. "We'll leave you to it," Shiroe said. "Get to know one another and talk about what you'd like to see for the city - the fun activities and the serious needs. Remember that everyone really wants to have fun and do things they think are worthwhile. Our first and favorite things are city-wide festivals."

KR nodded. "You're all welcome to come up for the Winter Festival in Minami. We've already invited all of Akiba and are working hard to plan a lot of fun things. We had a lot of fun at their Fall Festival."

"We'll still be here tomorrow for sure, so when you've settled down on a few things you think should be done soon, give me a call and I'll come back and sit with you again, but I think you'll all do just fine together from here on out." Shiroe pushed up his glasses. "You've got a really good start. Keep up the good work." He gave a nod to Brody and headed out the door, his people in tow, to join Charlie and Reed at the cafe and relax for the evening.

Slowly the rest of the guild trickled in to sit with them as well. It had been a good day - a good thing for Shiroe's nerves given the last several. About the time he was wondering what they were doing in Maihama and was being tempted to read the history on Purrcy, Nyanta called in to report from Akiba. That was a better solution. When Shiroe was ready for bad news after that, he took a deep breath, reached for Akatsuki's hand, and contacted Michael.

When that conversation was over, he sighed sadly and looked at Akatsuki, shaking his head. "The damage done to Tetorō was more than I expected. He had bad history that interfered. Michael and the others are going to do their best to help him recover, but I'm also going to have to reconsider some of my plans, I think, and," he leaned over to her and whispered in her ear, "the interfering division monster is back again and in their sub-group, they think. Watch for it and see if you agree." She nodded soberly.


	44. Marquis Code

The Akiba Dock was a bustling, noisy mass of Adventurers, with a few People of the Land thrown in for good measure. Isaac was there with his raid members, excited to be getting out and into action again. Rieze was standing with him to admonish him yet again to bring Crusty back so she could beat him up.

Isaac laughed at Rieze and shoved her off the pier to a great splash, then headed up the gangplank with his party. "He's not going to come at all if I tell him that! Get yourself together before we get back or he'll run again," Isaac called down to her from the rail of the Ocypete.

She glared at him while wringing her hair out. "Get back down here and I'll kill you instead!" she retorted.

"Not doin'," Isaac stuck out his tongue and walked off to get his assigned berth and see if he could track down anyone from Log Horizon to bug so they couldn't get any work done.

Most of the people already on board were from Minami, having put the train on the day before. They'd played in town, but most hadn't bothered to sleep anywhere else. It was a pain to wake up that early, and even earlier if they had to walk to the port. They'd just played until three in the morning, then walked to the ship and crashed on it, splayed out anywhere. It wasn't like they couldn't camp out on the ship just like they did in any given zone.

The first one Isaac found, therefore, was Nakalnad, standing at the bay side of the ship, slightly scowling at it. "Hey," Isaac said, resting back against the railing next to him. "You decided to come yourself, then?"

Nakalnad looked at him, nodded, and went back to looking out at the water, slightly white with an early morning mist. "Need the vacation."

"Tell me about it," Isaac agreed. "We almost fought with swords instead of rock-paper-scissors just for the right to get out of town instead of sit behind the desks any longer."

Nakalnad's shoulders tensed slightly, then relaxed as he sighed. "Yeah. Machiavelli bullied me into it, but it's still not something I would have turned down. I knew plenty about running a guild, but running something as big as Plant Hwayden is insane."

He looked up into the sky, just beginning to turn orange, gold, and pink with sunrise. "I have _no_  idea how - or even why - Indicus thought she wanted to do it and control it to the extent she did. From my perspective, you guys have a lot more fun, even you on the council, than I've got it over there. The legacy's hard to maintain, even in the new shape Shiroe gave it."

Isaac looked out over the people still entering the ship in droves, like a multitude of ants marching onto a plate full of honey across the three small sticks that were the gangplanks onto the ship. "Well, it's a lot of work, to be sure, but since we're a little more into letting everyone govern themselves unless we have to step in to make corrections it's not so bad. We guildmasters keep the guilds in line and that's the majority of the city right there. You're the one and only guildmaster of the one and only guild _and_  the head seat so you've got it all on your own shoulders.

"I know Shiroe was thinking of having you break Plant Hwayden down into the old guilds it used to be. You could still do that if you wanted to - then you could have a council of guildmasters. They wouldn't mind being the next level down from the Ministry, kind of like a senate or something, I would think.

"At least, I know I wouldn't if it was considered an advisory board and my people under me got to be happy with me running things just for the guild. That's kind of what we are now, anyway, except we have more work. There's no one above us to whine at, where they'd get to whine at you." He looked over with a grin at his tease.

Nakalnad rolled his eyes at Isaac. "If it would cut down on the shouting in the city streets, I might just go for a council of whiners instead."

Isaac was a little concerned. "Are you still getting resistance?"

Nakalnad sighed. "Not much, not really. It's just they can't all get to me to whine, so they shout from a distance, so to speak. ...Maybe if there was one more level in between they would be happier, too."

He stood up straight, his hands on the railing now instead of his elbows. "Well, I'll talk to the rest of the Ministry and see what they think. We're probably about at the point where we can make that change. Shiroe did talk to us about it, but we wanted to postpone it with so many drastic changes at once already happening that day and the next. It didn't seem reasonable to completely break everything all at once."

Isaac nodded. "Makes sense."

"Everyone, good morning!" The bright and cheerful voice was being amplified so it took a moment of scanning to find the felinoid the voice belonged to standing on the upper steerage deck.

"So she's coming with us from here?" Nakalnad asked Isaac. Isaac shrugged. It was rather obvious at this point.

"Thank you for coming to join us on our quests. Since I'm the quest giver, I thought I'd better at least let you know how much I appreciate your willingness to go help our compatriots over in China. For those of you just here for the merchant quest, may the gods of money and prosperity travel with you. We all know that international trade is the biggest source of income we could get. At the very least we hope you will all have fun getting to explore places you might not have gotten to go to before and meeting people from different parts of the world.

"Shiroe says, 'Let's all show the world that Yamato and Japan are the best places to live and extend to everyone the hand of camaraderie. We are all Adventurers here together with common goals.' ...Or at least he'd say something similar to that if he had the capacity to be like Marielle, since she's the one who told me to say that to you." There was laughter from the Akiba Adventurers.

"So you have a rough idea of what's going to happen for the next little bit: we'll be casting off in about ten minutes and sailing around to Nakasu, which has just yesterday been given its independence from Minami with Shiroe as negotiator between the two. We've got to pick him up since we need him for the Maze of Eternity. He says he has a few quest party members who will come with from there, so this will be the first all-Yamato quest we've ever done.

"Speaking of which I'd like to welcome Nakalnad and his group from Minami and the group who came down from Susukino. We're glad to have all of you. Introduce yourselves and get comfortable with each other. We'll need to be ready to hit the Maze of Eternity pretty quickly once we get there. The word is the Overwritten are into the second level already and marching pretty steadily forward since they can throw a lot of low and mid level Overwritten monsters at it. We'll be playing catch up, and having to mow through those same mobs since I don't think they'll let us walk through the rooms they cleared as empty rooms." There were groans.

Purrcy nodded. "Yeah, no fun, but we know how to make it so they can't come back now. The more of them we purify the fewer will come back down later. ...Speaking of which, if you didn't get the opportunity to have a weapon blessed, Yuudai's coming with us. He'll be on the rear deck wearing himself out helping you take care of that.

"If there's anyone from Minami or Susukino who's interested in helping him out and becoming the priest of your hometown so you can bless weapons for your fellow citizens, get in touch with him and he'll tell you what it entails. I'm sure he'd love the help. There's a lot of us here today.

"We should be at Nakasu in about twenty-four hours, no time at all really. We'll have a layover overnight and leave the next day, but Shiroe will call the timing after we get there. Then it should be about another day to the China coast, but we can't get off the ship, I'm told, until the Shangtzi port authority lets us. So hold out on disembarking until we've got the go ahead.

"Then we'll get on the road as soon as we can, I suspect. If you want to tour Nakasu, there may be some time, but if we send out the call to return to the ship and you don't, your loss. You just got signed on as a new ambassador there until you can figure out how to get home, or we get back from the raid to drop off those we're picking up tomorrow." She paused and her ears turned as if listening to one of the people around her on the steerage deck. It was pretty much the usual - Nyanta, Naotsugu, Tetorō, and Michael.

"They're looking rather like strong arms today, aren't they?" Nakalnad commented neutrally.

"Does it seem so?" Isaac answered just as neutrally. "I wonder where the blackbirds are? She's usually got four of them, too." His eyes searched that deck, then above and below it. He managed to catch a couple of them hiding in both places. "Yeah, they aren't letting up on the protection racket, are they?" He sighed. It looked like it might be just as hard to crack into a spot next to her even on this trip, when she should be close enough to be at least a little accessible.

"You want to break into that?" Nakalnad asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm just curious," Isaac shrugged. "She's a puzzle that's moved a lot of pieces in a short time. What little contact I've had she's been an intriguing sparing partner. The trouble is, it's always really brief. I'd like to nail her down longer and try to understand just how that puzzle works. I might understand why she's moving pieces, then."

Nakalnad gave him a look, almost impatient. "Wasn't it enough, that they explained her at the joint meeting as a Game Moderator?"

Isaac laughed. "She's not. I can tell that much. She's different and more than that. The feel is more like that of the Game Developer or Game Master - you know, the one who gives the quests and helps move things along - like these we're on today. Shiroe's just the lead player, not the GM like they said.

"They keep her hidden when she's in town - or guarded like that constantly so no one can get to her. I've gotten to bully my way into the guild once when they were on down time, and even that was hyper on drama, though they claimed it wasn't normal." Isaac shook his head. "No, she's a quest in herself and it's got my dungeon questing interest."

He sighed, looking at the guards again. "I suppose that's why they guard her, or one reason anyway. Shiroe's the Strategist on that campaign and we all have to see it as it unfolds or we'll explode his careful planning." Isaac mused on that for a bit, then relented. "Well, damn. I guess I'll have to settle for a cup of tea after all when it's over or she's got the time. He's already told us - at that same meeting - what the drop is."

Nakalnad looked at him curiously, although he'd only been paying polite attention up until then, not as interested in the topic. Isaac raised his eyebrow. "You don't remember? It's going home."

Nakalnad's face went to one of understanding. "Yeah...better not mess with that game, then."

"Nope. I'm one that wants to go back when we can." Nakalnad nodded and they watched as the Log Horizon contingent walked off the balcony and back into the command and steerage room. A few minutes later the whistle on the Ocypete blew three long blasts and the crew started the cast off sequence.

As the last gangplank was slid up onto the ship and stowed, steam rose up from the paddlewheel casings and the paddlewheel began to slowly turn, slowly increasing in speed as the shore began to move away, then drift past them. In another couple of minutes they were out of the river and into the bay. They turned for the south and the entrance to the Yamato Sea. People of the Land children ran along the shore and waved. A number of Adventurers watching the shore pass by waved back.

It wasn't long before they were drifting past the Cinderella Castle of Maihama. "Hey," Isaac commented, his brain moving forward to where they were going next, "did she remember to warn everyone about the sea monsters? I wonder if they took them into account in the timing?"

Nakalnad looked at him wide-eyed, then began laughing. "Sounds like good warm-up material. Shall we go find the Susukino lead and plan our defense?"

"Sure. I'm sure I'd rather at least meet him before we run into one - which should be about five minutes or less outside the mouth of the bay. So, we've got about...ten to fifteen minutes."

" _Sht_ ," Nakalnad tossed his head as he turned to lead Isaac into the ship to look for the leader of the Susukino raid party. "Piece of cake." Isaac laughed. It was going to be a fun trip.

-:-:-:-:-

Rudy was trying to be a turtle hiding in his shell for the fourth time that morning. His shoulders were hunched up as if trying to hide his ears, and his head was pulled into them in a funny way. Shiroe finally clapped him on the shoulder. "Is that because you've actually seen them, or because you're feeling them?"

Rudy jumped and looked up at him. "Eh?" He took a breath, blinked, then said, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

Shiroe sighed. They'd been walking the markets of Nakasu as a group today so they could get a feel for the city now that they'd had a night to recover and see life in a new morning. His other motive was completely related to Rudy, and was why they were all as a group today instead of separated into the pairs.

He pushed his glasses up on his nose. "It would help me if you could point them out _before_  they decide they're ready to ambush us." He gave Rudy his worst glare of impatience. The boy immediately pointed to two o'clock from their current facing. "And the count?" Shiroe asked before turning to look at them.

"It was five. Now it's ten and they look like they're waiting on a few more."

Shiroe glared at him even more. "It would have helped if you'd said so at five, you know."

Rudy slumped, then sighed. "Well...I really did hope they'd just go away. ...I'm sorry."

Shiroe turned to take a look. It was a rather odd group, but also just like one would expect. A few men dressed up in wealth and a larger number of men with weapons and the expressions of cutthroats, thieves, and bullies. "Really, though, they can't compete," Rudy said from his shoulder. "They'd have to have Adventurers with them to even consider it a beginning of a possibility."

Shiroe nodded, "Likely that's what they're waiting on. There might be someone in the city they could hire."

" _Might?!_ " Touya stared at him astonishment. "After seeing your face on the screens yesterday, there's not likely any Adventurer that'd agree to it after seeing who they'd been hired to go up against."

Shiroe just looked at him. "Maybe." With a sideways glance at Akatsuki, he said, "Slip over and listen in." She disappeared. He moved to the chat function, "And get ready to summon Purrcy. I want to resolve it with words. If they won't listen to me, they'll listen to her."

He got back a quiet, " _Mm_."

He called Nyanta. "We're about to make contact. When Purrcy's summoned, I want her here immediately, and I'll just keep her here with me until you get here."

"Certainly, Shiroe-ichi," Nyanta answered calmly.

Shiroe paused before cutting the line, then asked, "Everything going okay so far?"

"Yes," Nyanta answered. "Everyone arrived just fine and they're getting to know each other quite well purracticing on sea monsters."

"Excellent," Shiroe answered. "We'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," Nyanta agreed and Shiroe felt more comfortable about cutting the line then.

Shiroe looked at the twins and Isuzu. "You'll keep Rudy surrounded so they can't lay hands on him and drag him off. I've got the Eagles surrounding the area already and they'll be the back up." Those who could see the group of men turned their eyes to look, stood a little straighter and moved slightly closer around Rudy.

Shiroe prepared himself and turned to stare into the eyes of the nobleman moving to stand to face him. He had proud features that weren't unlike Rudy's, with the curly blonde hair as well. Just behind him was another noble companion, although he had dark brown wavy hair and stood a little stockier.

"He points me out to you and then you turn your back to me?" The sneer mocked Shiroe.

He didn't let it bother him. "I shouldn't?" Shiroe asked, slightly lifting an eyebrow.

"No, you shouldn't. I am the Governor of the Ninetails Dominion. If you want to have any dealings with the People of the Land, you'll have to come to me."

Shiroe chose to look puzzled. "Well, usually it's the People of the Land that approach the Adventurers first for dealings and such."

"Well, that's not how it works here," the man growled and stuck out his chest self-importantly.

"I see. ...But, you did approach me first...? I have no idea what you wanted, or why, so likely I wouldn't have approached you at all." Shiroe furrowed his brow. "Does that mean that the People of the Land can't even request an Adventurer to help them get rid of specific monsters? I'm sure the Adventurers rarely have a need to approach a Person of the Land, except for those that run market stalls."

He put a finger to his cheek and looked up, musing. "Or, perhaps, to hire a maid or a cook or some such...but," he pushed up his glasses, "I'm not interested in doing that either. I already have excellent help in all departments from my own guild members.

"It seems to me," Shiroe looked around the nobleman to scan the bully men behind him, "that you have to hire out just about everything?" He got good scowls for that one, and claimed his satisfaction points. "Well, I suppose - since I am one who should be approached by others - I'll let you tell me what it is you wanted to request."

It took the man a few moment to gather his wits about him, which was a bit of a testament to some breeding. "I've come to collect what's ours."

"Oh? Have I done dealings with you before, that I've already accepted a quest and forgotten it? Perhaps you could tell me your name and that might help me remember."

The young man looked impatient, then flipped his hair and struck a pose. " _I_ am ... the Marquis Code!"

Shiroe tried hard to not look disappointed. "Oh. Well. No, I don't think I've accepted a quest from you at all. I'm sure I haven't got anything of yours. ...And are you really sure you're Marquis Code?" The young man looked startled, but insisted he was. "Hmm...well, perhaps we should confirm that with someone whom I can trust. Akatsuki!"

She appeared suddenly, bowed low in front of him on one knee, a fist on the ground. Her black outfit, long hair pulled back in a ponytail, and short sword by her side made her look exactly like an assassin - or a messenger to a high lord. "My Liege."

"Summon Lady Purrcy."

"Yes, my lord." She placed her hand over her heart and there was a sudden swirl of air next to her.

Purrcy appeared dressed in a gown of excellent construction, perfectly suited for a day at a high court. She curtsied before Shiroe. "My lord. Congratulations on the successful peaceful uniting of all the cities of the Adventurers of Yamato. You are truly most talented. The delegations from all of the others should be arriving tomorrow morning, no later than midday. How may I serve?"

Shiroe let his mouth quirk up in a smile, as if pleased by her words, although really he was trying not to laugh. She'd played it most well, her entrance. His audience was quite stunned by her appearance. "Wonderful. The new Council is looking forward to meeting with everyone and Brody says he'll come along himself to the continent. He's quite a charming fellow, really. He and the representative of Plant Hwayden are both doing well at planning how to run the city. I'm quite pleased."

"Excellent!" Purrcy's eyes sparkled, although she kept a humble demeanor, and joined in on the name-dropping game. "The Head of Plant Hwayden, General Nakalnad will be most pleased. He and General Isaac have been having a wonderful time getting to know the General sent down from Susukino and are looking forward to meeting Mister Brody.

"I've sent General Michael to begin to integrate the new mages a little better. They've been a little chaotic against the sea monsters during the integration exercises. Since he's already experienced with handling large numbers of them in battle, I thought perhaps he might be a welcome member at the strategy table. But, I'm rattling on when you've called me for a specific purpose. Forgive me," she dipped her head.

Shiroe waved a hand of tolerant forgiveness, then pointed with it to the young man in front of him. "You've said you've been everywhere on Yamato. I was hoping you could confirm for me if this was the Marquis Code, Governor of Ninetails Dominion?"

Purrcy turned to face the man who was starting to sweat just a little, the sheen on his face shining lightly. He tried his best to keep a proud look, however the dark haired man behind him was giving him a slightly impatient look. Shiroe caught the look that passed between that one and the unsavory types but ignored it for now.

Purrcy's tail was twitching slightly and she had a look of distaste on her face. "No, Lord Shiroe. This is the Marquis' second son. The man with him is his assigned aide and guardian." Speaking directly to the young man, she said, "Does your father know that you've decided on your own to affect a coup against him?"

The man paled, then flushed red. "I'm doing no such thing. He's asked me to come and collect Rundelhaus and test this one." He waved a hand at Shiroe, who raised an eyebrow to be addressed so.

"Test? Test?" Purrcy's whiskers were quivering and her tail had stiffened. "The Marquis will be so bold as to test the _Archmage_  Shiroe?! Or is it your own unintelligent play? Surely a second son who will cavort about with unsavory men, presume his father's title, and deign to test such an august person is one who refused to attend to his lessons properly to set such a poor example of his own house. Surely the Princess Raynessia Cowen has done much better to have already been the welcome Ambassador of the Free League of Cities to the Archmage's own city Akiba for the last two years, and at the tender age of fifteen even."

"Lady Purrcy, surely they must try to understand me before knowing how to approach me," Shiroe calmed her and appeased the young Code at the same time. "I haven't been here since long before the catastrophe. So many things changed at that time, perhaps they were concerned I might have as well.

"And we have had one excellently trained member of the House of Code present in Akiba this whole time as well. Surely the Marquis shouldn't be judged only based on this one, second son." Shiroe turned to the man. "Please go and inform your father that we've accepted his invitation and will be following you there shortly."

The young man stood there with his mouth gaping open. Shiroe waited. Suddenly there were five snaps and five men crying out in pain and cursing. Purrcy's eyes were angry, her whiskers back. "Children who can't keep their hands to themselves need to be punished until they learn it properly."

Shiroe turned to see that five of the cutthroats had moved in on the juniors and were now holding various parts of their bodies. It had sounded like a more powerful version of her Spark she used to punish others with.

"I do believe you've not been given permission to take that which is mine." Shiroe scolded them firmly. He turned back to the second son, "However, you may reassure your father that I will bring him with me. Or do you plan on standing there all day like a confused mule?"

The man jumped. "Ah...um...that will do then. I'll just go tell Father what's happened here this morning."

"Excellent," Shiroe answered and he darted off. The aide waved the cutthroats off and followed his lord. Shiroe and his guild stared the cutthroats down until they decided they'd rather not take the punishment for no payout and slinked off. "Wonderful entrance, Purrcy. It's good to see you again. It was a true report?"

"Yes, Shiroe," she answered properly. "What Lady lies merely to stroke the back of the man she talks to?"

"Ah, no offence was intended," he apologized immediately. She curtsied slightly, letting it go. He was glad. Probably every lady on the planet except Purrcy would do just that, since they were trained to. Only the rare few of high quality and integrity wouldn't - and would rightfully be offended at such an intimation. He recovered by turning to Rudy. "Lead the way, then. At least I assume you still know where your family lives?"

Rudy bowed and waved his hand in the direction his older brother had gone. "This way, please." Shiroe took Purrcy's hand deliberately into his elbow to escort her. Akatsuki walked in the front guard position. As they moved to leave the market, half of the Eagles converged on them to be additional visible guards.

Isuzu walked close to Rudy, her watchful eyes taking his measure. "It won't bother you too much, Purrcy's scoldings?" she asked quietly.

Rudy's head snapped around to look at her. He brushed his hair back flamboyantly with his hand. "And why should such a thing bother me? Haven't we all heard them enough to understand? Surely he went about his task informed most miserably and earned it." He gave a flippant shrug. However, he didn't look happy to be on the path to his family home.

After a bit Rudy finally drew in a breath and straightened his shoulders. He still had his friends around him to support him. Shiroe relaxed a bit and paid attention to their pathway, preparing his strategy for the next phase.

When he returned from his brief introspection, Purrcy was waving her tail most happily and she had a small smile on her face that just exposed her pointed teeth. "Hmm...what has you pleased?"

"I'm enjoying watching the guards at work. They do their work so effortlessly, particularly in this most excellent of environments."

Shiroe looked around at the tall trees filled with tropical vines, and the full bushy undergrowth below them that bordered their path. It was perfect ambushing cover. He also noticed they didn't have any Eagles walking openly with them. Purrcy must have let them go play once they were out far enough from Nakasu.

"How many is he losing? I would think he couldn't have enough to line the entire path?" He decided not to comment on the fact that she hadn't appreciated that quite so much when she'd been the target.

"Oh, the lookouts are staged about every two hundred feet or so, one to either side I suppose as back up to each other. The Eagles are flying about four ahead of us, though, so they don't even know we're coming."

"Hmm...tell them to silently skip one and let him through. We should have at least one messenger arrive so they can be properly waiting for us. And if they haven't reached the actual ambush yet, giving them warning will make it more fun for the rest of us, I'd think."

"Should I have them wait in the trees at the ambush until we arrive, or take out a few to keep busy until we get there?"

Shiroe considered it. "They can take the numbers down. We really only need to talk to the one or two in charge." Purrcy passed on the orders to Reed. When they'd walked another five minutes, Purrcy let him know the waiting spy had just left the area to report.

Another five minutes and another blond haired man, tall this time, broad chested, and very proud but looking like he probably had earned the right, stepped out of the woods, two men behind him. Shiroe paused his group. "A welcoming committee? Shall we walk while we talk then? I'm really not interested in being delayed more than necessary. I have things to finish in town." He got them walking again. "I take it you're the eldest son?" he asked the blond as he passed him.

He was trying to catch up to the situation, but stepped in with them anyway, giving a sign to one of the men behind him. "Yes, I am the eldest son of Marquis Code." With just that much it was apparent he was arrogant. He went to stop them about ten feet on, but Shiroe ignored him and continued on, leaving him floundering just a bit until he hopped forward to catch up again. When they weren't blocked, he looked around at his men following them. They were just as confused.

"If you're waiting for your men to come out, they won't. We've already dealt with them. It was a rude welcome you were offering, thus I didn't think it necessary to accept it kindly," Shiroe informed him.

"Really, is the house of Code even able to be true nobility?" Purrcy complained as if the sons weren't present. "For the heir to be so incapable of consideration of proper behavior towards a guest of honor who has come to visit at even the invitation of his own father. I would surely see such a son punished so that he understood his correct duty to his house and people.

"Iselius, at nine, was such a delight to be hosted by this past week. He is surely already a credit to his grandfather. Duke Cowen has chosen his heir wisely and trains him properly. He even was able to understand the value my own skills would bring to Maihama without me even opening my mouth to explain it, and has already brokered a trade conference with Akiba without assistance that should bring in quite a bit of income to the Duchy." She lifted her nose in the air and stepped daintily as if wishing to not be in the cesspool of improper behavior she'd entered.

"Well, it is true that this is a distant and wild place without all the niceties of the north," Shiroe calmed her and the heir at the same time. "Such places require one to be sure of strange visitors, surely, or they'd be overrun within no time at all. And don't we have the excellent example of the noble behavior of a son of Code in our own household? He himself has served his people excellently, caring for their tender needs with all diligence. We should reserve judgment until we've spoken to the Marquis himself."

Purrcy settled with a sinusoidal wave of her tail. The heir kept his mouth shut and only walked with them until he found his way to attempting pleasant conversation as if to prove he was also capable. They let him stumble his way through it, helping along as he needed it, although the younger brother cringed on occasion.

When they arrived at the manor of the Marquis, he was standing on the top of the short flight of stairs up to the main door in the protecting wall around the manor home. His second son was standing behind him. He said something quietly to his father who straightened to see his first son striding peacefully next to Shiroe.

Shiroe walked up the steps with Purrcy to stand and face the Marquis, who was dressed nicely. His blond hair flowed long down his back. His aristocracy made his facial structure almost sharp and the effect was that Shiroe was looking at a cross between a fox and a shrew.

He sighed to himself. Really, in such situations the flavor text of notable NPCs should have been erased and left behind. He already knew what kind of man this was. He still had to patiently wait through the insincere welcome and the flowery words with no meaning.

At the first opening, Shiroe finally was able to say, "Yes, yes. Pleased to come and meet the Governor of ...what was it? All of the Ninetails Dominion, really? It seems to me that your actual influence can't extend that far really. Unless you intend to claim all of the monsters that prevent anything else living on the south islands as your subjects? I'm a bit short of time since you weren't willing to come speak to me yourself, so if we could please skip over the rest of the niceties - to Lady Purrcy's distress? I believe your second son claimed you sent him to retrieve something from me?"

Marquis Code cleared his throat to recover some time and dignity. "Well, yes. You see, you've had my third son for two years now, and I'd like to have him home now for the remainder of his education."

Purrcy's ears went back at the word education. "I'm sure our Academy - which I am the Dean of - can provide him all the education he should need. Not to mention the actual experience in a cultured location with other noble children as proper examples with whom to build long term relationships. The education you're able to provide here I'm sure is the best you've been able to contrive, but is sadly lacking for a country and world that has suddenly become a bit smaller and where relations between regions is essential for proper growth."

"Mmm...indeed," Shiroe agreed mildly. "We've already invested quite a bit to help him understand how to interact with Adventurers, which is the most difficult thing for People of the Land to comprehend, we've found. Still, he hasn't completed that education just yet so I'm not inclined to let him go for that purpose."

The Marquis shifted, but it was to another battle stance. He'd expected resistance, then. "It's true that Rundelhaus was sent to the north to learn about the Adventurers, however it wasn't to stay for so long. He was to come home and report over a year ago, and I've received no word at all. To have him suddenly in Nakasu it seemed wise to invite him to finish fulfilling his duty as he ought to have a year ago."

"Well, surely one should be properly obedient," Shiroe agreed, "however, I took him a year and a half ago and he's had to be obedient to me. I'm sure we sent word to you a year ago that he'd been accepted by my guild and would be staying." He turned to Rudy. "Did you send a proper report along with the notice at that time?"

"Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe," he answered promptly.

"There. You see?" Shiroe said triumphantly. "He's done as he ought to the best of his ability. I apologize if you saw that as insufficient, but really, this is the first any of us have been able to get this far south, since I've only just settled the matter of Plant Hwayden and the issues the Nakasu Defense Front had with them."

"I'm afraid I didn't receive such a report," the Marquis frowned.

"Oh? Well, certainly my agents would have tried their best. As I recall, Henry sent back a report that you'd accepted the note with your own hand, as I instructed it should be, and that you were quite pleased with Rudy's position in the world at that time.

"He even complemented your roast WildeBeast, which he said you claimed was quite the delicacy from this part of Yamato, with it's complementing Herbed Roast Radishes. Chef Nyanta asked that I get that particular recipe from your chefs if at all possible. He is always looking for new dishes to try." Since that had been the exact report he'd received he waited to see if there would be back tracking.

"You just said that it was too difficult to get people down here from Akiba?"

"Oh, that's just along the normal routes. Bowie."

Bowie stepped out from behind the door - from inside the house courtyard - and bowed, quite startling the Codes and their aides. "Yes, Lord Shiroe?"

"What did they eat for dinner three nights ago?" Bowie promptly answered and the Codes slowly blinked and swallowed. "As you can see, I have no troubles getting people here by other means." He waved Bowie off and the Assassin disappeared, using his skills to move without being seen. "So, I'm quite sure you've merely had a simple lapse of memory, certainly forgivable when you've seen so much action against the dreadful monsters of the region since you received it."

"Yes, quite so," agreed the Marquis readily. He still wasn't ready to give up, however. "Perhaps since you've traveled so far, you'd like to come in and sit. I've a fine wine and we could sit and negotiate a peace accord, perhaps."

"No, really," Shiroe declined politely, "I really must get going soon. Besides my men tell me that although they've taken care of the armsmen inside sufficiently, it wouldn't be prudent to enter, so just let me get to the end." The Marquis' face was going purple and Purrcy and Akatsuki were both stiffening up in anger. "Rudy is mine. You can't have him back and no amount of threat or wheedle will sway me. I've really just come to say that to you directly so there isn't any question in anyone's mind."

The eldest son opened the door to the main house again and looked in. In the courtyard that led to the main hall, there were men strewn all around the ground. He stared at his father, who began to shake. He immediately turned on Shiroe. "Who are you to come to my lands, insult my sons and me, and to remove from me the strength of arms of men without touching them?"

"I'm sure I never did insult anyone," Shiroe said in mild self-defense, "and I'm sure your second son properly told you my name. But it's Archmage Shiroe if you've forgotten that as well, Adventurer and Guildmaster of Log Horizon."

The Marquis drew himself to his full height, nearly Shiroe's own tall lankiness. "If you will keep my son, who has been serving you so diligently and who has familial obligations to us here, then you will pay us a remuneration to do so."

Shiroe laughed a small laugh into the back of his hand. "Really. You'll make me pay for something already mine? Dean, how much does the Marquis owe for the education of his son until he graduates from the Academy? Seneshal, how much for the living expenses for the last two years and continuing on for that long as well? Akatsuki, how much for our protecting him from the assassins the Marquis has sent to kill his own son for the last year and a half and from the Adventurers who took the thought to tease him unrighteously?"

Purrcy was getting more and more angry, although having to calculate numbers suddenly distracted her slightly. Purrcy named her amount first, Akatsuki second, and Minori third. "If you've that much in your coffers, I'll gladly take it now and then give you the portion that he's worth to you from it - though considering you've wanted him dead or here to use against me, you've already been given it. Bowie, see you pick it up on your way out the door," Shiroe finished.

He made it a conference chat. "Yessir," came on the air around them, Bowie's voice recognizable.

The Marquis paled. "Y-you'll ruin us!"

"Is that a problem for one who would ruin his family on his own?" Purrcy had had enough. "You've refused to train your second son to be useful and he's only a hooligan of the sort you prefer to hire to work for you anyway. You've refused to prevent your oldest from becoming so proud he has no idea how to be a real noble and care for the people around him. You've refused to be anything but a bully yourself.

"It's the consequence of your own actions. The fact that Rundelhaus has learned all of his ability completely on his own and without your help is a testament to his willingness to work hard, unlike yourselves. To leave him here would be to see him ruined for sure."

Rudy stepped forward and bowed. They looked at him. "Please, Guildmaster Shiroe. Don't make my father pay for my keeping. It would be better for them to be here over the people. They do see that the monsters are kept at bay so that some level of lifestyle is possible. The money is required to pay those who are willing to throw their lives into keeping it that way. I'll continue to work for you to pay for my own keeping."

"You believe there is value still here?" Shiroe asked him.

"Yes, Sir." He looked at Shiroe earnestly.

"Hmm...." There was a sudden clash of metal on metal and Akatsuki was holding her short sword against the sword of the eldest son, holding it in place, her look saying she would kill in the next blow. The eldest son seemed extremely surprised that he couldn't move her at all. She was quite small compared to him and his visible strength.

"Elder Brother," Rudy begged, "you can't win. With merely a passing glance an Adventurer can kill a Person of the Land. She is holding you like you would hold me when we spared when I was young - without effort. Please relent and save your life."

"It is irrelevant," Purrcy said in a rather dead tone. "He will not inherit."

The heir pulled back from Akatsuki and his blade went for Purrcy this time. Again came the clash as Akatsuki's sword met his, but this time his sword went flying from his hand and embedded itself halfway to the hilt in a tree some twenty feet away. Her sword ended pointed at his neck.

The second son shifted, then was suddenly frozen in place, his arms tight against his body. He wobbled dangerously until his father put out a hand to steady him from toppling like a log. The Marquis looked around the group of Adventurers with his eyes wide.

Purrcy continued as if the interchange hadn't occurred, her eyes distant and her voice not really her own. "Baron Rundelhaus has properly worked hard to earn his place and title. He has displayed proper nobility, even in his own father's house that has rejected him since he was claimed as a magic user rather than a swordsman, in being forgiving of them enough to beg the Archmage for their sakes.

"He and his posterity shall be blessed, and in due time he will return to inherit this land and to rule. This part of the land will become lush and delightsome and many people will come to live and work here, and children will run and play and not be molested because he will rule over them in wisdom and strength. Peace shall reign for many generations - as long as his children continue to call their ancestor Rundelhaus Code, Friend of Adventurers, blessed. For his sake, the remainder of his family shall be allowed to live until he comes to claim his rightful place."

She paused, then slumped and Touya caught her. He supported her until she recovered and Minori cast her best healing spell on her. Shiroe thought Minori probably used intent to reach the level of spiritual healing since she didn't really have anything along those lines as a Kannagi. Shiroe held out a hand, low, to Isuzu, indicating she should wait until they were gone to cast her own healing and boosting magic.

Rudy had gone very pale. His father rounded on him and in a rough, loud voice, demanded to know what was just done and to berate him, taking out his anger on the youngest son. Shiroe held up a hand and the Marquis' beginning tirade was cut off. Shiroe nodded at Rudy, indicating he should answer his father.

Rudy swallowed. "Father, if that last blessing on you and my brothers had not been pronounced, you would all be dead already. Berenshilde just raised his hand and sword against the Oracle."

"The - the _Oracle_?!" the Marquis whispered. Rudy didn't drop his eyes. The Marquis slowly sank to his knees and put his hands to his face.

"Get out!" roared the heir, gesturing vehemently. "Get out!"

Shiroe turned with Purrcy and walked down the steps and onto the lane. The three junior Adventurers gathered up Rudy closely to follow after them. Akatsuki stayed behind to protect their rear and would disappear in her own turn when it was safe enough to do so.

"Take a reasonable amount, just enough to let them know I'm displeased and we indeed have the ability to do it so they can't claim we couldn't," Shiroe said to Bowie, who was still listening. "Rudy is right. They do need to be able to pay their warriors to keep the people safe enough."

"Yessir," Bowie said.

Shiroe closed the chat. When they were far enough away, he looked over his shoulder at Isuzu. "Go ahead," he said quietly.

Isuzu pulled out her staff and cast a boosting spell that would have Purrcy healed by the time they arrived at Nakasu. She made it one of the party affecting spells and Shiroe approved. Rudy likely also needed the lift of his spirits.

When they had walked long enough, Isuzu pulled out her lute and began to sing little light songs that were common children's songs in Japan and well suited to lifting spirits and to make their walk easier. Minori and Touya joined in on the third and by the fourth Akatsuki was back with them singing as well.

Purrcy and Rudy listened, enrapt, as Shiroe tapped a finger on his leg in time to the music. He knew the songs from classmates singing them at school, he just preferred to hear them than sing them himself.


	45. Overview of the Sixth Level

The deck of the Ocypete was slick with seawater and guts of sea monster. Five had decided to show up this time and it had taken longer than normal to clear them out. The Adventurers had finally taken down the largest one while trying to keep their footing on the slippery gore.

Nakalnad called out for the Summoners to bring in water Summons to clean off the deck properly and there were suddenly a dozen splashing fresh water down on all of them that nearly washed the most tired off the ship. Companions grabbed them and held them steady until the deluge was finished. The salt coating everyone was almost as bad as the gore, so no one complained overly much about the impromptu fresh water shower. As everyone headed for places to rest there was muttered cursing, though.

Isaac and Nakalnad looked at each other. "How is it that experienced Adventurers, and campaign leaders for that matter, can fail so quickly against measly sea monsters," Nakalnad groaned. "I mean I spent four damn times throwing us all at the Maze of Life. You'd think I'd have learned it by now."

Isaac clapped his hand on Nakalnad's shoulder. "It's always a little different with every new thing. We've got a sea base, only a limited range we can move in where they can move wherever they want - including below us, and only a few of us have fought monsters like this until now."

They were joined by the Susukino lead, Maverick_Master. "That's on top of us three trying to not step all over each other." Both of the other two nodded. They were headed for the room they'd claimed as their war room. There had been just enough time between encounters for everyone to heal and for them to plan for the next one. They were making progress, but the sea wasn't giving them any favors.

"Do you think for every set we kill, the monster generator adds a monster?" Maverick_Master asked. "I'd rather not fight more than say...twelve...at one time. They wouldn't even have room to move and we wouldn't be able to get in a hit between recovers, just trying to stay on board. I thought we'd be flipped at least eight times. Ocean storms can't be this bad." They settled around the table.

"Oh, yes they can," came from the door. "This was about sea state five. Oceans can get up to sea state ten in the worst storms. Can't hold on to much except the rails at sea state seven though, let alone lunch." Michael was standing in the doorway, leaning on the frame. He raised a hand in the air now that he had their attention. "Hey. I've been asked to come down and offer my services."

"What've you got?" Nakalnad asked.

"Real military leadership experience on the water and on land. But Purrcy's also put me through the grinder more than once keeping myself and as many Hackers of all levels alive as long as possible and even bring them all home. She's upped us to journeymen just before all this, so I'm also now a Programmer."

"Sit down," Isaac said immediately. "I caught that this last time, too: our use of the Hackers is dismal when it comes to fast paced chaotic battle. We can't give them the orders they need far enough in advance for them to be useful. And there were plenty of times I wished they could be useful."

Michael settled in the fourth chair at the table. He rested one arm on the table and nodded. "She caught that, too - we've been watching from inside - and sent me down. It's likely to be worse in the chaos department when we're in the Maze." Nakalnad nodded.

"The Hackers are useful? And what's a Programmer?" Maverick_Master asked.

"Yeah, you've been in the north, so didn't learn what we all did," Isaac said. "There's the new sub-classes and even new Classes. Hacker is a magic based sub-class that's super powerful...and super minimal, until you get into the fighting. Most Hackers don't seem to get that far, but the ones who do have to be watched out for." He gave a suspicious look at Michael who bore up under it well enough.

"Purrcy came into Akiba right when a nasty one was trying to take the whole city down. She locked his magic down so we could take him out. Shiroe grabbed her up and set her to teaching all the rest of them how to protect the city from more of them. Michael was her star student."

Michael shook his head. "I'm not. I'm the salutatorian. But I am the one she assigned to lead them into battle since she's not around much, and honestly as a solo she's lacking in the department anyway." The rest understood how that worked.

"So, what _is_ a Programmer?" Isaac asked Michael, putting his chin in his hand and resting his elbow on the table.

"It's the next level up from a Hacker and is a Class instead of a sub-class. When you've worked the sub-class long enough, it gets converted. Comes with a few perks added on for the 'atta-boys', but they're only bells and whistles, really. In the end you're left with just as much work, if not more since you get to fight with the big boys and they like to test the competition to see if you can make the grade." He wrinkled his nose.

"Anyway, I'd like to offer that I'll run the action for the Hackers, but you keep them maintained. I've gotten good at making them conserve HP, but if I have to go between the inside and the outside, I'll lose track and it will take up too much of my time. You'll need to have their ops keep an eye on them and keep both on your own radar just that much."

Michael frowned and hesitated. "It's going to take at least three rounds more for us to shake down, though. They've got to get used to listening to me, and you guys already have a head start on me at working together. Honestly, so far I've only handled just Hackers on the large scale, not had to deal with the full party raid, although I've plenty of raid experience, too. I'll try to keep my personal learning curve sharp and get through it as fast as I can, but we'll probably have to experiment after that to see what works best."

The others were nodding. "We can handle that," Nakalnad said.

"We've got all of the ocean between Yamato and China still to practice on, too," Isaac said dryly.

"It'd be nice if we could just slap most of those down, though," Maverick_Master sighed.

"That's the goal," Nakalnad said. He leaned forward and got the battle review meeting going. They'd already used up enough time.

-:-:-:-:-

"Lady Purrcy...," Rudy stopped as if not quite sure if he should be speaking at that moment. They were sitting as a guild to eat in a pub. Shiroe had made sure the way to cook real food was taught down here by his informants, so at least the food was good if somewhat locally different since the monsters were different.

"Yes, Rudy?" she prompted him, turning her ear to him. She'd toned down the clothes to one of her preferred casual dresses. Shiroe hadn't minded. They could be casual now that his tasks were completed. If he needed her to dress up again, she'd probably understand it as fast as he desired it.

"Ah...I don't know if I should ask here or privately...but that _was_ the Oracle, right?" He asked it quietly.

Purrcy nodded. "Yes, it was. I would have said it anyway just because I was mad enough to, but it was definitely the Oracle. The smaller version." They all nodded to that. The larger version was the one she had to actually perform the ritual purification to channel. "Did you want to know a bit more? I usually get a feel for things around the edges that should be told to the individual but not to others who are listening - particularly in cases like that where they weren't worthy to hear the rest."

Rudy looked surprised. "There's more? ...I guess I would."

"Let's see," she sipped her drink and set it down. "You don't have to be in a hurry. Whenever you decide it's time to take up the mantle it will be ready for you when you get there. You won't have to take it from them by force or anything like that." Rudy relaxed quite a lot, although he tried not to show it.

"Do pick a wife from up there to bring with you, and make sure she's a proper lady who can help you train your children and the rest of them since you'll be making it more cosmopolitan and a place you want to be able to invite your contemporaries to.

"When you're done with being trained by the Adventurers, or if we leave sooner than that, do go spend some time getting polished over in Maihama. You'll be glad you did and be able to make more alliances that way. Plus you'll get to see all the bad habits of lords up close and personal and how to deal with them. Of course, that's just common sense, that part."

She paused and looked at Rudy kindly. "We won't take you away from here when we go. We already know how hard that is from our side. I'll set your creature type back to Person of the Land before that happens. But the world has already blessed you with special gifts that will stay with you." She looked at him a while longer, then took the next bite of her sandwich.

"So...even if we get to come back, he won't be an Adventurer anymore?" Isuzu asked a little worriedly.

"No, but I think those gifts include aspects of being one," Purrcy answered after swallowing her bite. "I don't know for sure since the Adventurer data is up right now. It could include a longer life span than normal, keeping the fast learning and the higher level of strength and defense, that kind of thing. Of course, it's not like we'd keep living forever either if we had to stay. That's not the natural order of things, even if elves in Tolkien lore lived forever unless slain."

Shiroe looked up. "What about Nyanta who doesn't want to die?"

Purrcy shrugged. "He's the exception, but I think eventually even he and I will die. The pseudocode magic will be taken away. Before that, I believe I'll be given the opportunity to set his and my final status. As a Summon, I can't die permanently. If I have to stay a Summon, he'll live with me forever. That's his promise. If I can convert us, we'll both become like Rudy - People of the Land with higher abilities because we were Adventurers who received blessings. Of course that's based on finding a way home and getting to choose to stay here. All of the permutations are a bit much other than that one."

Shiroe nodded slightly. "I have a thing I need to ask you when we're in a secure location. We'll do that after lunch." She nodded slightly back at him.

"Excuse me," said a voice from his elbow, "may I join you, if a bit late? And who's the pretty lady? We don't get many of them in these parts that aren't known."

"Sure," Shiroe said as several faces blushed around the table and Purrcy's ears perked up. He was glad Tetorō wasn't there to give a biting comment, particularly since Purrcy seemed pleased. "This is Purrcy. Purrcy, Brody - head of the Ambassadors of Nakasu."

Brody did a partial bow as he sat down. Purrcy bowed her head back slightly. "I like him so far," she said. "As charming as you said."

That did make Brody blush. "Purrcy is my counterpart in the search for a way home," Shiroe commented to Brody. "She's been the one generating the quests we're on. I asked her to come today to help me with a personal one of mine that we finished up just before lunch."

They chatted for a while until Shiroe and Purrcy were done eating, then he excused the two of them, leaving the others there, indicating to Akatsuki she should stay with them as well. They were joined by a few shadows in black for the travel, however.

Shiroe led Purrcy to the abandoned apartment building they'd staked out (one free for the taking) for the term of being in Nakasu. Up on the third floor and rather buried in the middle of it he'd had Charlie set up the secure communications station. He'd permanently set the secure code on the mobile structure they'd set up on the roof of the Minami Shopping District 8 guild hall so they could take it with them. It had been one of Stiletto's suggestions to him during one of their personal meetings. The application of the plan had worked very well, actually. This would test one of the more high level aspects of the original spell.

They were on the stairs at the third floor landing when Charlie appeared above them. "Mister Shiroe, we've just finished setting up the sun shade for you on the roof. It's got a very good view I think you'll enjoy. I've taken the liberty of setting up a few chairs."

"Thank you," Shiroe said and continued up the stairs, Charlie continuing on down.

Purrcy's eyes followed Charlie down before she continued on up. "Be careful you don't completely fade away into static," she finally said. Shiroe turned and raised an eyebrow. She just shook her head.

They reached the roof and he entered the pavilion at the same time she did, though he watched her closely. She looked around the pavilion then at him. "Interesting. I hope you get to keep it. It's a level beyond what was agreed to."

He merely gestured to a chair and took another. "The topic fits under what was agreed to, though, and I don't stop thinking just because I've walked out of my home. You gave me a clue to the next level and I need more information in my preparing for it that I have to be able to trust." When she nodded he reset the permissions on the code. She relaxed slightly. "What was your initial agreement with Izanami? Before you became a Summon?"

Purrcy blinked. "To be the beta test subject."

"As relates to things that affect Adventurers?" A nod. "How does that relate to having children?"

"I'm supposed to be the first and to be the one to perform the experiments until it happens, the same as all things of that sort," she answered calmly.

"What happens if you're not?"

She tipped her head quizzically as if the possibility couldn't exist. "I am and I will be."

Shiroe frowned. "But Nyanta is refusing."

"Yes, ...for now. He's already told me he wants to have children though, so ...I'm waiting." She shrugged.

That wasn't actually good. They could be waiting a very long time to finish the last level with that answer. "...So...what happens if you're not?"

Purrcy blinked. "I assume you're talking theoretically then. Then I'm no longer the beta test subject. What that does I have no idea. Likely removes the protection I've been to all the other Adventurers."

Shiroe felt cold. "What protection is that?"

"Everyone will become test subjects and we will reach reality very quickly, becoming one completely with our physical forms and with lots of pain, most likely, mental and emotional - since it means we won't be able to go home."

"Purrcy," Shiroe leaned forward, "why do we have to do that part - experiment to see if we can have children? It doesn't seem to be purposeful if we go home and stay home. I can't see how we're needed after we've fixed the world's problems. Everything is set up for the creatures and People of the Land to handle the forward movement of the world. You've even been teaching the Giants how to go on quests, and the People of the Land how to accept requests, so we shouldn't be necessary to Izanami.

"As far as Izanagi goes, we're a menace once we've finished the world repair quests. The People of the Land will be able to handle the monsters once they're purified to manageable levels, and even they can use purification and purified weapons. Rudy had that tested immediately to make sure.

"Any children that would come from us would at best be Hero level since Earth spirits won't be born here, and Heroes already have a chance to be born to People of the Land. With that much more material, there will be a corresponding increase in Heroes born. We're from a world based on technology, not magic, so we modify things to suit what we know, even as we experiment with what's here."

Shiroe shook his head. "I can see them sending us back home and getting rid of us so we can't come back, but I just can't see why they would want us to stay here and procreate. Only my own goal of making a two-way door has any reason to need it. If they are always born empty vessels that wait for Earth spirits to arrive to enter them, then we can have new players come and use them. But I have a far better solution than that. We can use a spell that you have the capacity to create now.

"If you set it up so that an Earth soul that comes without a body and is carrying with it a code of entry and data for the avatar, the spell could receive the code, verify it, and create the avatar from the avatar data using the anima here, like the Summon spell. It doesn't need a computer database to do that. Static spells like that exist all over.

"If we set them at arrival points, so they are tied to a location like the gates, the spell cost should be world level but still fairly low. If we can create the two way door we can be here as needed, interact like we always have but on a real world level, without having to remain here permanently. If they just need the repairs, we'll miss this place but we want to go home and won't look back. But the need to keep us here escapes me entirely."

"We were brought here in spirit to join the anima that was created for us in the Second World Fraction, when the people prayed to have a creature added to the world to help them against the demihumans that were overwhelming them," Purrcy said.

"Right. I get that. But we're fixing that. Why do we have to stay after that?" Shiroe asked.

Purrcy sat silent and pursed her lips, then shook her head. "The only answer I can give you is that it's because at the Second World Fraction we became part of the world's structure as a whole, so we've become interwoven into the fabric of it. They're going to cut the umbilical cord very soon, as it were, and they decided they had to have full Adventurers here before they could do that, not just partial. It isn't going to be an easy thing to get them to let us go, Shiroe. You already know that."

She crossed her arms and leaned back. "I've been thinking about it and I think, since the Overwritten and Observers aren't natural and they want us to remove them, that they wanted the technology too, the way we do. That they wanted the technology _specifically_  to bring us here completely. I don't think they would have gone to that trouble and expense, not to mention risk, if they thought they were going to send us back. I don't think we were brought here to get rid of them as the prior, but that they were the prior to get us here."

Purrcy rubbed her hand over the top of her head as her ears flicked back and forth. "I can't answer that why, Shiroe. You'll have to ask them and see if they'll give you a straight answer. I don't think Izanami will. She's still playing your game. You'll be more likely to get a straight answer from Izanagi, but there is no guarantee he'll answer you. He's not interested in the game, just in the positive results of the quest requests."

"Are they working together or are they competing with each other?"

Purrcy looked away. "That depends on the goal, doesn't it? The quests this round are pretty much an agreement between them. ...I suppose it's even possible they're postponing deciding on whether we go or stay depending on the projected outcome of them once the solutions are started sufficiently for them to see how they affect the whole.

"We may be here at least another year just for the small amount of data necessary to make those projections, since they have to be able to calculate out millennia. If they can see we become horrible additions to the world, they jettison us. If we become essential, they'll decide to keep us. When they've decided, then you can argue with them again.

"As for children, I'm quite certain that experiment would already have been part of even this round if Nyanta hadn't protested so vehemently before. It will be a number of years for that to play out for them to be able to make proper predictions. The children have to grow up enough for them to know how to fit them into the overall product."

Shiroe tried very hard to not scowl. "We don't want to have children here. You know better than I do Purrcy - no mother can be convinced to leave her children behind when she's given birth to them and loves them. If we have the children, we can't go home because we become tied to this place."

Purrcy looked at him very soberly and a whisker quivered slightly. "Shiroe. You and I understand this. Do emotionless beings set on a specific goal?

Shiroe stared at her, then dropped his head. "No. They don't."

"No, they don't. It's another reason why I've agreed. I already don't want to have to care for my children. I was hurt too much on Earth to believe I can or even care. I've explained it to Nyanta. If we have children here they will be his to raise and care for. He's agreed."

Shiroe closed his eyes. "So...he won't have them until he's sure he'll stay, or they'll be abandoned."

"They'll all be abandoned if we're sent home because we're dangerous." It was as matter of fact as her previous statements had been. "If living children are born, we will have to prepare a back up plan for if we all suddenly disappear, leaving them behind. It will be a hard life for them, with no parents. I've been trying to show Inari that difficulty through cases from the internet and Nyanta has been helping, but once again we are falling on deaf ears. I think I know why, now that I've been to Maihama as a Lady."

Shiroe looked up at her to listen to her answer. "It's because of the medieval society where children are objects to own, adults to raise, not family to love. Familial love is very rare and little understood here still. Perhaps it is an ancient world that finally has evolved enough to understand emotions that can hold people such as us.

"This world is still too young and resistant to training, though we Adventurers certainly have enough emotions to get through to it sometimes - like the anger at being brought here which we all carry, though if they want to keep us even that falls on deaf ears. The individual's emotions are irrelevant.

"They require the experiment of children to be carried out so they can understand a thing they want to know. It seems to be part of knowing if they will keep us or not. That is all I can tell you."

Shiroe sat in silence a long time and she kept him company, silent and understanding his difficult burden. She wouldn't judge any solution he chose so he was free to explore them all in his mind without guilt until he found the one that gave the best solution he could come up with.

When he found the possible one, he spoke to her quietly, listening to her considered questions and thoughts until he understood what he still needed to learn, and what the path forward would most likely have to be. He was glad to have someone to lean on for the final level. It was even harder than the current one and he wouldn't be able to lean on even Akatsuki during it. She would be too emotionally invested.

When they were done, Purrcy moved to sit next to him and held him as her son and he rested on her like he had never had opportunity to lean on a parent. It was a memory he would use again and again on that last dark level to get through from day to day, and sometimes moment to moment.

-:-:-:-:-

"Demikas."

"S-Shiroe?!" Demikas sat blinking. His archenemy never called him and he never talked to him either unless he had to. "What the --"

"I'll be brief, but please answer me honestly."

"Always." Demikas wasn't afraid to tell him he was hated to his face, as frequently as necessary.

"You love your Person of the Land wife?"

Demikas could feel his face going red. "Damn you! You always do this!"

" _No_ , Demikas!" He shut up and listened. He'd never heard the cool, calm Machiavelli in Glasses raise his voice before. It was one of the things he hated about him in fact. "No." It was said more calmly, and with almost...well it was twisted with something anyway. "We can't go home without me understanding this. Please, just answer the question honestly. I'll keep it all a secret, I promise."

"Just use it for future barbs," Demikas snarled back.

"...No." It was said quietly this time. "I'll lay off."

Demikas blinked again. The Machiavelli also didn't lie when he made promises. "Yes."

"Have you had sex with her?"

Demikas' face got hotter. He was so glad chats couldn't be heard by anyone else. He swallowed. "Yes."

A deep breath. "Has she gotten pregnant yet?"

Now Demikas' brow furrowed. "No. Can they? I mean with us."

"They should be able to. Our bodies and theirs are made with the same stuff. It's what's inside - the soul or psyche - that's different." Demikas would take Shiroe's word for it. He didn't like to think that hard about stuff he couldn't grab with his hands and beat up, eat, ...or love when it came to his wife more recently. But then she'd tolerated him first.

"...If she does, Demikas, please let me know right away, but no one else and take her into hiding until the child is born. As a matter of fact, bring her down here and we'll make sure you're both hidden."

"Why?" Now he was suspicious. The Machiavelli wasn't nice for nothing.

"Because the People of the Land will man-hunt us and the Cathedrals will be burned to the ground so they can do it."

Demikas thought that was a rather large thought and it took a bit to wrap his brain around it. Eventually he shook his head. "Even if there aren't Cathedrals, we're so much stronger and higher in HP, Shiroe."

"No. The wimpy human has eradicated how many extinct creatures on Earth, Demikas? From the fabled dragons to the dinosaurs that may have remained by the time we got strong. The mastodon and saber tooth tiger. We even go lion and bear hunting to immediately kill the ones that learn to eat humans so they can't teach it to their children. A whole tribe of Africans with spears against a lion that can kill multiples of them and they will take it down.

"They'll do it to us, too. We are to be feared until we can be understood and that's still a long way off. Maybe once we can't be resurrected again, and they get used to that fact, too - maybe. They killed almost all the Alv, you know, for similar reasons, and the Alv were the most technologically advanced race on the planet in their day."

Demikas was silent, then, "Fine. I'll let you know and we'll go hide. Only if I need your help will we come begging, though."

"...Fine," it was said quietly too. "But don't let on it's your biologic child in public. Say you've adopted it. You can let the child know the truth since the more that know it's possible and that they're okay the sooner the world as a whole will be able to accept it."

"The -- Wait, Shiroe. Is it a done deal? Are we really going to?" Demikas was in a bit of shock.

"Not yet. I hope not yet. But things are moving and.... Well, if you really want all the details, come visit me in Akiba sometime and bring your wife. We'll explain it all to both of you then. Otherwise, just live with it and hide as best you can if it happens. In the mean time, I'm still doing everything I can to get us home. This is the last straw and it's going to get really ugly if we aren't allowed to go."

"No kidding," Demikas had no false ideas about that.

"Would you stay with her if you could? Not go home?" Demikas shifted uneasily. "Especially if you had children?"

Demikas put his head in his hands. "Damn you," he whispered.

"Demikas, you have to think this through or you've got to stop. She can't come back with you nor could a child. I'm trying really hard for the two-way door so we can come back, but it's the hardest option to solve. ...Think about it. You'll hurt more than her in the end."

"Like you would know!"

"...If you say so. Thank you for answering my questions."

Shiroe was gone. Demikas swore. In the end he had to go out and fight BigBugBears in hand to hand combat for three hours to calm down and think about it properly.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe sat back in his chair the next day after lunch, his arms folded loosely, and thought. It was relieving, Demikas' answer. Shiroe might be able to let Naotsugu and Marielle stay together. ...Well, they'd be apart now anyway for a month and he could explain it to Naotsugu tomorrow and let him decide what he was going to do. Shiroe would have to clear the air that he still wanted Purrcy and Nyanta to be first just to make sure it didn't happen to them, though.

He wasn't sure he trusted Inari anyway. The beta test subject agreement had been made with Izanami, not Izanagi and Izanagi wanted the knowledge just as much. He'd have to keep an eye on things. That made him wilt inside. If Izanagi was indeed starting to move in Nyanta...well, he could use that, too, maybe. It really got his goat that he had to work with Inari on this, though, when he wanted to fight it harder than he'd wanted to fight any of the rest of it. They just wanted to go home.

He was still sitting there when there came three blasts of a horn far in the distance. "That's them," Purrcy said calmly. Shiroe stood and led them all from where they'd been waiting to walk the road to the coast. Nakasu was like Akiba - close to the water, but not right on it.

When they reached the coast, he cast his highest light spell and Isuzu cast one as well that added sound when it exploded. There wasn't much of a dock for the large steamboat to connect to, since there hadn't been much Adventurer construction here, so the Ocypete was anchored and the smaller boats were being released into the bay.

"Looks a little worse for the wear," Touya commented. Shiroe pushed up his glasses to see a little clearer and had to agree.

"The sea monsters were difficult from the beginning," Purrcy agreed.

"And I understand they're worst at the entrance going past the island," Shiroe said. "I wonder if we'll have to fight them again on the way out."

"I'm sure they'd like to not have to, by the looks of it," Isuzu said.

"Hm...I wonder if we should wait a day and let everyone recover," Shiroe commented. "I think I'll ask Isaac and Nakalnad."

"The tide's every half-day," Purrcy said.

"No, that will put them at having to fight all night. I think we'll wait until morning and let everyone recover."

Purrcy was quiet for a moment. "Michael's going to pass it on and ask that everyone be kind to the city."

Minori turned to Shiroe. "We could have a barbecue on the beach. Make it the first Yamato joint Adventurer celebration with fireworks at the end."

"That's not a bad idea, Minori," Shiroe said in appreciation. "It would keep the worst of the crowd from swamping the town and be just the lift everyone needs. I'll officially bring it up in the meeting of the heads. Purrcy, tell Michael to let them know they should just rest on the ship for right now and only the heads come over until the final negotiations are completed. Then we'll call for them to come for the barbecue."

Minori looked at Shiroe. "If you have the guildmasters bring their chefs, we could probably use that time to get everything set up."

Shiroe nodded and Purrcy presumably added it to her message, then he put his hand to his head. "I keep forgetting when I have you with me." He opened a chat with Isaac and Nakalnad and his guild members on the ship, although he couldn't add in the Susukino representative. "Welcome to Ninetails Dominion. Looks like you guys could use a bit of a break."

"You think?" Nakalnad grunted.

"Do you have the Susukino rep with you?"

"Yes," Isaac said.

Shiroe shifted it to a verbal-only conference call so that person could hear. "Welcome - again. If you'll all bring your chefs over with you, we'll have them set up a barbecue on the beach for everyone. The rest can sleep it off on the ship until we get closer to dinner if they want. Nakasu's a bit rustic to handle everyone flooding it. We should probably set shifts of a set number of people going in at a time if people want to sight-see. I'm sure they'd love the business.

"Minori will head the organization of the barbecue. We have to feed everyone anyway, though if you've got a few who are still willing to go into the wilds here and pull down a few of the local creatures to add to the menu they've got a WildeBeast that's quite tasty.

"You and I will meet with the local leadership, have a quick press conference, and be freed up for the rest of the afternoon. We should plan on getting back out to sea in the morning, but we'll discuss actual timing when we're face to face when we go over how your trip down here was...though as I said it looks like it was a bit difficult given the damage to the Ocypete. I hope Michitaka doesn't eat me for dinner when we get back."

"I'm sending out the repair crews already," Michael said. "There are a few holes that have to be patched before we're ocean worthy, though they weren't so bad we couldn't limp back here."

"The sea monsters around the Island of Monsters were rather ferocious," a voice Shiroe didn't recognize said. It must be the Susukino representative. "But it was relieving we never had more than seven at a time."

"Isn't that rather a lot?" Shiroe ventured, looking at Purrcy. When she looked like she was going to answer it seriously, he held up his hand quickly to forestall her. Right now wasn't the time to tell them they'd been worked up to that level on purpose.

"It certainly felt like a lot," Isaac agreed, "particularly when trying to 'dance on a postage stamp in a bowl of water' as Michael described it."

Shiroe glared at Purrcy. She shrugged, but tried to look somewhat meek. "Well, we'll wait for you here on the beach until you can get over here," he said. "We might want a few extra hands to chop firewood, I'd imagine."

"See you," Nakalnad said in a tired tone and everyone clicked out of the chat as Shiroe closed it down to just the guild.

"I'd like you all to come," he said. "We have things we need to discuss separately once the formalities are over and I'm sure we don't want to miss the party either." When he had understanding, he turned to the guild members he had with him.

"Minori, pick out a place for Purrcy to put her grill. Touya, Isuzu, and Rudy, you'll help her oversee things and be her runners. Be backup crowd control, too, though I want the extra Eagles on that while they stroll the beach taking their turn to party and relax. I wouldn't be surprised to have party crashers here just like at home. Adventurers from Nakasu are welcome to join in as long as it's in the peaceful name of building relations - for real, not as an excuse."

He looked at Rudy. "I'm sure we wouldn't turn away People of the Land if they wanted to have fun, but if it starts to smell like revenge, let the highest up person in range know immediately. They'll diffuse it." Rudy nodded.

"Same goes for the Adventurers of Nakasu and Plant Hwayden. Any Adventurer not from Nakasu can be called on to be the intermediary and calm it down, but if you need to, call Isaac. If you get the chance when he gets here, put Nakalnad on your friend list and call him directly. He's responsible for the ones that live here just as much as the ones in Minami."

When he got nods, he finished it out. "Akatsuki, you, Charlie, and Reed will come with me. Purrcy you'll stay and help get the barbecue set up. I need Nyanta so the Ambassador council recognizes his face, and I want Naotsugu and Michael as well. You'll have enough here, I'll take Tetorō with me so he can have a bit more of a break, but when he gets back to the beach you're to work on healing your op."

Her tail twirled and he nodded she could ask her question. "Can I let everyone know I can transform?"

Shiroe considered that. In front of Michitaka and his few had been one thing, but... "I'd rather not that many at once. Once things calm down in the evening if we sit off a bit for the quiet, that would be fine. We can keep KR with us and if anyone asks he can say he summoned you. They're going to see that later anyway."

"I've set an overwrite on the name for when we're in public," Tetorō said. "Male werecat, Purrseus, if you want us to use it."

"Fine, but put a limiter on it. If she gets farther than one hundred feet from whom she's supposed to be with, make it so the Log Horizon tag shows."

"I'll put an identification tag on the collar, too."

"You're still using it?" Naotsugu asked.

"Not really, but it's still on her." Tetorō answered.

"Is it?" Shiroe looked at Purrcy. She lifted her hand to show him a bracelet on her wrist, the light meters were gems set around it, currently at the green-yellow that was the normal acceptable. "Why aren't you using it?"

"Inari's got a work around and won't obey."

Shiroe glared at Purrcy. "That's not okay with me."

"It's toned down the overall workload," Tetorō sighed, "and doesn't over do it when she's - or perhaps _they're_ \- working with the rest of us in the outside world. The balance is better so I've compromised. Especially since you took away the night. It could have been worse."

Shiroe shifted, then pushed up his glasses. "Fine. You are keeping an eye on it regardless, I hope."

"Yeah. I've got an alarm on my meter."

"Okay." Shiroe sighed to himself. The gods were going to push it as far as they could and test his own limits...and they were getting awfully close. "How far off before you get here?"

"We're out in the boat now," Michael said calmly.

"See you soon then," Shiroe glared at Purrcy a while longer, then gave in and looked at the four juniors. "You'll be in charge, then, Minori. We're probably the most capable of the lot at getting additional foods to supplement. Can we split your team long enough for a brief hunting spree?"

Minori looked at everyone, then shook her head. "I think we should stick together. We'll go pick out a good location and get the grill out, but once the other chefs get here there will likely be some time we could all go, or if enough come over that want to hunt we might be able to split up then. I'm worried about what will happen if we're not divided the best way possible and Rudy's family decides to show up. If we're a full team with the two Eagles you leave with us we'll be fine, same for if he and Touya are protected by other Adventurers."

"Fine," he said, pleased with her analysis, "I only need Reed and Charlie, though, so you'll have three."

Purrcy tipped her head. "And the five that are coming with Michael."

"Oh, right." He waved a hand. "Reed, work with Michael and set the new duty roster. Maybe some of you can go out and hunt for once."

Minori nodded. "I'd feel better about Touya and Rudy going out and hunting if there were a full party going."

Shiroe sighed and turned to look out over the water, watching two boats bobbing over the slight waves as oarsmen pulled to skiff them towards land. Another boat was in the water and being loaded.

Sometimes it was hard to keep it all in his head. He was glad there were others in the guild to help him keep track of the details that should be important - since he _was_  the guildmaster - but kept dropping because they weren't related to the world plans in his head. Akatsuki put a hand on his arm and he moved to hold her hand. Even that kind of detail was nice to be reminded of.


	46. The Resistance

Nyanta's tail switched and his whiskers twitched. He hadn't particularly liked having a night without his wife, even though there wouldn't have been much interaction. The battles with the sea monsters had only lessened up by about a half hour between interactions and the rest of the Log Horizon contingent had finally joined in to let other parties rest. They'd planned to sit it out until they had Shiroe with them, but that wouldn't have been kind.

Nyanta was pretty sure the Game Bot was throwing things at them it didn't need to so it was irritating to begin with, but the Generals seemed to finally be satisfied with the way everyone was working together and more importantly, with how they were working together. Shiroe would likely make that interaction run more smoothly in the Maze of Eternity, but their party even with him would still be just another added party on the ocean.

The one thing they'd had to give the pursed lip answer to was why Purrcy wasn't joining in. Michael had fielded it best by saying she was watching over him but leaving all the Hacker work up to him as part of his field training. It probably wasn't a lie. Besides, they would have had twice the enemies to fight if she had been present, most likely. It had increased enough just having him join in.

That had been irritating, too. He'd tested it by sitting one out. He added another eighteen percent total HP to the total to fight against. He should probably be flattered. He wasn't. He didn't like the game AI factoring him in as a specific unit like it was going to do to Purrcy. It hinted it would likely do the same for Shiroe - which didn't bode well for the ocean leg of the trip. At least they'd have the direct ear of the game AI at that point for Shiroe to scold into letting the rest of the raid party rest.

The boat scraped to a halt on the beach and Naotsugu and Michael leaped out and heaved on it. Nyanta lightly leaped over them, to take his own weight off the boat. The Eagles followed him out. Gareth immediately turned to help Tetorō out, although he was light enough on his feet.

Seeing his further help wasn't necessary, Nyanta went straight to Purrcy. He wanted to greet her first this time. She curtsied prettily and smiled at him. She was mostly Purrcy, then. He bowed properly then asked for her hand, tucking it into his elbow and holding her closely to his side. "Have mew been enjoying Nakasu today, nyah?" They'd talked during his break the night before about her visit with Shiroe to the Code manor.

"Yes," she answered, "I think you'll really like Brody. He's charming - if young - full of enthusiasm, and looks like he tries to do his best in whatever he's been given to do. He'd likely make a good PR division head or some similar position, with his ability to manage and push people forward - much like Marielle, actually. It was funny to watch his interactions with his second, though - ah, they're all equal, but like in Akiba, you understand." Nyanta nodded.

"She was the chief of police like Nakalnad and chased him down a lot, but I understand she also let him get away a lot as a closet sympathizer because she was taken with the charming and daring freedom fighter. Now that they aren't at odds, she doesn't have to hide in the closet anymore the fact she's smitten by him, but since they're the equivalent of business partners she's finding it just as awkward trying to find the proper balance.

"It may be a while before she gets around to confessing, though she'll have the next month or so to think about it since he's going to leave the city in her lap while he comes with us. She doesn't seem to mind that, though. She's just as happy to see him off for more fierce fighting and adventuring." Purrcy's smile was lighting up her face making his own tail wave softly. He'd probably missed this the most while they'd had to be so restrained at Maihama - the chatty, happy Purrcy.

He leaned in to give her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be just as happy having mew with me, rather than sending me off, the young bride on the beach bravely trying to hide her tears."

Purrcy giggled. "Then if it happens, shall I wail and fling myself on you and beg you to not leave, or at least to take me with you?"

"Heavens no. I'd have to walk on mew just to prove my point."

She mock pouted at him. "Fine. I'll just come and nag, then."

Nyanta chuckled and brushed an ear on her head.

There was a clearing of a throat nearby. "If you've sufficiently greeted your wife, Nyanta?"

He turned. The entire guild was watching them, most with smiles, but some with surprise. "I suppose I've had my ear talked off just enough I could be called away," he answered, capturing Purrcy's happily curled tail with his.

Rudy rolled his eyes. "It was only one night, wasn't it?"

"And nine days," Nyanta said seriously. He looked at Tetorō who was looking as sober. "I'm sorry, Tetorō. It was too long for me, too, meow. When Izanami appeared, I wasn't able to resist."

Tetorō's face twisted. "But...there were two. They both came."

Nyanta nodded. "It was an interesting fight. When they come to this plane together they have an even more complicated relationship. Here, they are also husband and wife. Izanami was present for the lesson to complete whatever goal we wanted in a hurry because it couldn't understand.

"Izanagi - I think - was still in the middle of an argument with Izanami so came with, but when it reached that close to this plane, the requirement that he love her interfered with the argument. Appurrently Izanagi doesn't usually come that far into this plane for that reason. It is highly logical and the emotional requirement the flavor text places on it interferes with its order and plans."

Shiroe blinked. "Was it because of proximity? If you weren't in the presence of Purrcy, would the logic remain without the emotional interference?"

"I believe so," Nyanta answered. He paused, then turned a little stiffly to Michael. "I'm also sorry to be so violent. It is true I am jealous for Purrcy, but Izanagi is even more so for Izanami. It doesn't need to be close in purroximity for that, nor does it have to descend. Increased attention is sufficient. I would be interested in knowing a little better the lore of this planet in that regard. It feels rather like the cursed flavor text - severe and unyielding."

"It's not a problem now?" Shiroe asked.

Nyanta hesitated. "Not as bad. It may have been because we were on the subquest and Izanami and Izanagi were both heavily invested in the results so were both more purresent. That isn't the case at the moment." He went very dry. "Thus my enjoyment of being able to _actually_  greet my wife."

"The jealousy of Izanagi, does it distinguish between people or is it general?" Brenner asked quietly, watching Nyanta closely.

Nyanta looked at him soberly, then sighed lightly. "There is no distinguishing, not even between the sexes. The emotional Izanagi is quite unhappy we've not put her in the safe location of the shrine where the acolytes understand and are careful to not raise his jealousy. Only females work there, in Izanami's shrine, or he unleashes his anger when he goes to visit.

"It's apurrently the only way he can function on this plane in his experience - which is so limited as to be extremely annoying. However if the flavor text could be changed, even he would be immensely relieved. ...If anything he's given that to me as a sub-quest, I suppose, though it's more a purrsonal request to an Adventurer."

Michael raised his hand. "I'll jump on that boat and request it, too."

"Me, too," Tetorō agreed vehemently.

Purrcy raised her hand. "Me, too, but really just for the sake of family harmony and to protect my operative and guard. Izanami thinks it the only reasonable thing on the face of the planet to keep Izanagi in check so she can get any of her preferred work done, particularly when they're in disagreement. She's quite enjoying her freedom to walk around the planet at the moment."

Shiroe sighed. Nyanta agreed with the sentiment. "I'll send my intelligence gatherers to Mount Fuji and see what they can learn about that while we're gone. It will likely be important for what's coming up next, too." Shiroe shifted, considering. "How will that affect the part of my plan if I need to have KR summon Purrcy."

Both felinoids turned their ears in consternation and looked at each other. Nyanta finally sighed. "If it's necessary to do, then I will do what I can to control it, but he may have to relinquish if Izanagi is too invested."

"Does form matter? She'll be werecat then."

Nyanta shook his head. "No. It makes no difference." The group was rather dejected by that thought. Everyone liked to pet Purrcy if there was opportunity.

"May we experiment?" Shiroe asked casually, a good sign he was angry. "Purrcy has also had to neglect Tetorō too long."

Nyanta nodded and Tetorō was moving, though cautiously. To not even wait, he had indeed had to go too long. Nyanta watched him closely, watching himself closely as well. He didn't relinquish the hand he had and when Tetorō put his arms around Purrcy she used only the free hand to hold him. Nyanta's dis-ease and rising irritation calmed somewhat when her attitude towards Tetorō was of a mother for a child - which it usually was anyway Nyanta knew full well.

When he tried to pull his attention away to explain to Shiroe, however, he was unable to. An ear flicked irritably and he pulled his attention away anyway. "Izanagi could accept the mother-child relationship but still isn't willing to trust Tetorō. I'm very irritated, both purrsonally and from the external purressure. If I could throw off the yoke, I would. Izanagi and Izanami are both very immature and irritating because of their logical stubbornness. If they were more willing to learn it wouldn't be so difficult."

"Well, you did say it was flavor text as well," Shiroe said calmly. "If that could be repaired it might not be so difficult either. ...I find it interesting...," Nyanta had to go back to looking at Tetorō to watch the interaction closely. It hadn't changed except Tetorō was crying now. It did help to watch, though. "...that..." Shiroe stopped talking to watch Nyanta.

Nyanta couldn't spare much focus on why, though. "Tetorō," Shiroe said softly. Minori stepped up to Tetorō and put her hand on his shoulder and took him in her arms and led him a little away.

Nyanta looked back at Purrcy. The tender expression on her face made him flare and for a moment he couldn't see. He did refuse to move, however, focusing down hard on fighting to keep control of his own body. Nothing wrong had been done. It had even been necessary from the Adventurer point of view. He could faintly feel his tail whip in anger.

Then there was a light touch on his cheek - a hand. On the other cheek came a kiss. "Nyanta. I'm here," Purrcy's voice said in his ear. "I love you." He was able to breathe. As she stayed close to him and pet him, he was able to slowly relax and stay in control until Izanagi finally left him alone.

Released, he dropped his head on her shoulder. His tail relaxed and his ears settled calmly again. He hadn't realized they'd been pressed tightly against his head. His stomach turned once then finally relaxed, but his heart was sad.

He reached for her hand and held it tightly, just breathing until he was fully calm again, trying to not become angry at a thing he could no longer do anything about, except fight in that way. A light touch came on his back. "Nyanta," Shiroe's voice said softly. "I'm sorry. We'll do what we can to help prevent it."

"I'd appurreciate it," Nyanta said wearily. "It is very difficult to fight it." He had a lingering need and put his arm around Purrcy's waist to bring her close. He lifted his head and whispered in her ear. "You're mine."

"Of course I am," she said reasonably, "however, I have a question for Izanagi." Nyanta felt the god pay attention again. "If you can't accept that my children in the guild need their mother to tenderly care for them, how do you think we'll be able to properly have children in the future? Or do you plan on eating them as soon as they're born? Infants demand almost all of a mother's attention and it barely lessens with time."

Nyanta himself was horrified and his shock allowed the World AI to answer directly. "Thus the requirement to fix the external emotional illogic."

Everyone slumped in defeat. Purrcy looked back sadly. "The only solution I would have immediately would be to receive permission to edit or erase the base code."

"Archmage Shiroe must find a solution." The World AI was suddenly gone. Nyanta slumped, his knees oddly giving way completely, startling him.

Shiroe held on until he had Nyanta sitting on the ground. Gareth and Brenner were both instantly casting spirit healing spells. "That is most disconcerting," Nyanta said, resting his head on a hand. Purrcy pet him sympathetically and kissed the top of his head. "Not to mention a horrible twist to the whole thing."

"Is everything okay?" came from behind them. The second boat of passengers from the Ocypete was finally beached and unloaded.

As the closest guild members turned to act as interference Shiroe crouched down next to Nyanta. "We'll discuss it later, but you should know it's at the heart of the next level." Nyanta stared at Shiroe in complete dismay. The sympathetic look on the young man's face didn't help much.

Then, to Nyanta's surprise, Shiroe allowed him to see his hidden anger for a brief moment. "It is also almost more than I can bear," Shiroe admitted. He took Nyanta's arm in his hand. "Please believe me that I am still trying to do everything I can, but we're being boxed in so tightly it's barely possible to navigate now. The next level is looking like one long chasm with barely any cover, and your price may well continue to be the greatest. I'm sorry."

Nyanta almost couldn't breathe. He did anyway. He wanted to rage. He took another calm breath and nodded. Shiroe helped him stand and he stood. When Purrcy stood close to him, he wrapped an arm around her for support and held her closely. He did have to hide his face in her for a moment so he could put on a proper public face.

It was difficult and she stood patiently and purred softly just for him until he could settle his emotions properly. Shiroe took his turn to distract the generals by meeting the Susukino general properly for the first time. Finally Nyanta took one more breath. "Are mew okay with it, Purrcy?" he asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Yes, Nyanta. Shiroe will explain it later, but we've already talked. He knows I'm the beta test subject."

"And they won't let me wait?"

"No. The Superusers will let you wait all you want...until it's too late for anyone to go home and we've been set free from the umbilical cord and longer. Shiroe is the one who won't. You know his goals."

Nyanta froze. "You're lying, Purrcy," he said quietly in surprise, raising his head to look at her. "Why?" Izanami looked back at him and he groaned. He released Purrcy and turned away from her, not willing to be that close to the Game Bot that kept controlling the directions they turned. His grief rose in his chest and he almost couldn't see.

A firm hand took his elbow. "It's time to go," Michael's quiet voice said in his ears that couldn't remain standing. He allowed the Monk to support him at the rear of the group that walked up the beach, heading towards Nakasu.

He felt very much like he was being led to the prison to hear his sentence and wondered just how bad it was going to be in the end. Not able to continue, he finally turned small cat and hid in Michael's elbow. Michael slowed until he'd fallen behind a far ways, then lifted Nyanta to hold him to his chest and shoulder, closer to his ear. "What is it?"

"Michael," Nyanta said quietly, "if mew are ever in a position to kill me, please do so, and if that is impossible, please kill Purrcy. I can't bear the existence of Izanami any longer."

Strong fingers ran through his fur on his head and down his neck and back, petting him several times before there was an answer. "Such unreasonable demands from such unreasonable persons. Take a nap. I'll give the excuse for why you're not at the conference, though Shiroe's already probably got one ready for you."

The fingers promised it, though, and Nyanta gave in, shrank to kitten, and let go, the tears shuddering out of him as he fell into a sleep deep enough to escape the pain and grief for a short time.

-:-:-:-:-

"Shiroe, are you going to need me, really?" Michael asked via chat.

Shiroe was silent for a moment, then asked quietly. "Is it that bad?"

"Bad enough that if you wanted to say I've taken him to the inn and called for the local doctor you wouldn't be too far off. He's gone kitten and is shivering inside my coat while completely asleep."

"...Yeah, that's bad," Shiroe sounded dejected. "And it's worse because his healer's not available until tonight." There was a pause, then a sigh. "I'd tell you take him back to her anyway, but I need him here for our guild meeting after this. ...It's rather rough to have her in high demand all at once. No, I'll cover for you both. Go ahead and wait for us. Just outside the main government building is a nice outdoor cafe. You'll find Charlie there, but you don't have to sit with him."

"Okay. Sounds good," Michael said and wasn't surprised when Shiroe left the chat. He was with all the heads of state, after all.

Michael took his time walking into town and explored a bit. It wasn't as full of Adventurers and was smaller generally than Akiba, but it had a nice small-town feel and the locals were friendly. They looked ready to defend if they needed to. This would have been the town the sub-guild would have come to if they'd been logged in from the base. It would have been a far better fit for the Eagles, actually, and they enjoyed playing from here before the catastrophe.

The islands that made up most of the land mass of Ninetails Dominion were considered one of the hardest zones to play in because it was all monsters. The little arm that was the part the city was in was attached to Westeland, which was why it had been taken over by Minami. Even this part was full of wild zones filled with monsters and the People of the Land had been hard-bitten and proud by flavor text, made that way to seem strong enough to survive the harshness of the land.

"BlackJack are you guys hanging out or on business?" he asked on the sub-guild chat. "I've suddenly got free time, though I'm babysitting."

"We could take a few. It's lunch time anyway," BlackJack answered back.

"I'm supposed to sit at the usual hangout, but if you've got a preferred location I've got until the press conference to get over there."

Stiletto materialized at his side and walked with him. He was led to a back street hole in the wall. "You babysitting air?" Bowie asked as Michael and Stiletto sat down at the table.

"Your Grandfather."

They stared at him, frozen for a second. "No."

"Yes. He got a low blow a few ago and can't turn to his op until tonight. He picked it. I'm going with it. Boss gave the ok." Michael shrugged slightly.

"We won't bother him with talk?"

"He's out and I've shut him in." They all nodded a little trepidatiously. Everyone still considered him scary regardless. "What have you learned on my little project?" They waited to answer while orders were placed with the waitress.

"It's the drop from one of the three dungeons on the islands, but only if you defeat all three of them," BlackJack answered him.

"Can they be done solo?" Michael asked.

The three looked at each other, then reluctantly nodded. "But you know that's not a solo-friendly zone," Bowie shook his head.

"I don't know if or who I'll be allowed to take with me," Michael said back. "Have you had time to set up caches?"

"A few," Stiletto said. "...When are you planning on going?"

Michael paused as food arrived - it was one of those places with only one thing on the menu. The ordering had been for the drinks. He chose to eat some before answering. "Don't know. Boss is going to have a high-level meeting this afternoon. I may know after that, or I may have to wait until this level's done and he's opened up about what's next. All I know right now is that it isn't good or easy or Grandpa wouldn't have gone down that fast. The anger's spiked to maximum, too. From both of them."

He gave worried looks to the three with him, ending with Stiletto. Stiletto paused then shook his head. He didn't have any recent intel on what it was. Michael shoveled the food as he pondered on it a little. The food was flavored, which was better than soggy rice crackers, but it wasn't as good as they'd been getting. He hoped he wasn't getting too spoiled. "What was the final job Hahaue was called out for?"

Humored looks passed between the three. "One of our jobs was to get inside the White House and check out security and personality. Boss had us do the inside job and lift some of the plunder just to prove we could while they distracted the family outside. Hahaue was hopping mad by the time the Boss got done listing their worst points. She could see the bad points for herself and had fun twisting that knife so the Boss could look good."

Bowie went sober. "I was on the door when she went Oracle. That was harsh stuff that shut them down. Firecracker's going to inherit and the heir's gone ballistic. They were given leniency and probation, but the heir drew on the Boss. Angel defended politely. When the Oracle opened up, the heir took her on. Angel didn't defend quite so politely and Firecracker nearly wet his pants.

"We don't live it, but he said that if she hadn't added the life extension, they would have been dead on the spot for daring to draw blade against the Oracle. Do you know? Is that part of the law of the land or part of the flavor text?"

Michael froze. His whole plan would go up in smoke if it was the latter. "I think I'll get that added to the new side quest we just got. It's an information gathering one, too, and close enough related I can slip it in." He switched his fork for his tankard and took several deep swallows to recover.

They'd exchanged looks again. "Are...we going to get sent out on that one?" Stiletto asked cautiously.

"I don't think so," Michael answered. "It sounded like the Boss was going to send some of his regulars to learn that. I think he wants the answers by the time we get back and he wants you guys to come with us." They relaxed a little. "Feeling left out lately?"

BlackJack shrugged. "Not so much that. We just don't want to miss the Maze."

"Understandable," Michael nodded. "Wish we had the Maintenance crew, but their stuff's more important, and likely we'll call them in anyway."

"Have you heard anything useful yet?"

"Well, we're at the two week mark yesterday. Day before yesterday MasterChief--"

"Commander, Sir," a chat from Clocktower chimed in. He was the lead on the Maintenance crew.

"Report." The three with him shut up.

"We've run into an issue we can't solve. If you haven't left the Archipelago yet, can we have Charlie? We need his expertise," Clocktower requested.

Michael looked down with a frown. "He's in use for the next few hours and you know he's the Boss' favorite."

"Yeah. A few hours won't make a difference, but he'll have to be here for the duration." There was a sigh. "We've found what we think is the signal beacon but we can't get a read on it. There are a few anomalies that we've traced back to it that make the whole operation touchy if we're only guessing." Clocktower sounded a little frustrated.

"Can you use him from here if he needs to be on call?"

"...Can you spare the nurses?"

"...Good point. I'll ask, but it might have to be after the officer's meeting this afternoon before I get back with you," Michael answered.

"That's fine. Just send him up if he can come. You can leave a message with Master Chief if it's a different answer."

"Roger. Everything else okay?" Michael asked.

"Green. Slow, but green."

"Keep up the good work. Over."

"Roger. Out." Clocktower closed the chat.

Michael twirled his fork in his fingers, wondering how much of the current flurry of activity was being pushed by outside forces. It didn't seem so likely, but at the same time, the steady small stream of influence was hard to miss it was all so fluid at pushing them in one direction. He scowled. He could feel why Shiroe and Nyanta were getting angrier. He was quite sure the meeting would _not_  improve his mood.

Quietly he ordered. "Spend as much time as you can getting as many caches out there as you can before we go. We'll be leaving in the morning some time, but it's not been set just yet. Tonight's a party on the beach. Show up just long enough people can say you were there and to get your favorite fire in your bellies. Take as many as you can pry loose to help. The gates of hell are starting to gape a little wider. I'll fill everyone in as best I can tonight - inside." They gave silent nods and quickly finished eating.

When they were gone and he'd rested enough to come up with the necessary modifications to his plan, he paid the tab and walked out. Pulling up his local guild map, he found Charlie and headed for him. He couldn't do that for the Intelligence detail. They erased even that footprint.

Michael was pleased Charlie was still free for just a bit. He slipped into the seat next to him. Charlie had the controls for the city video screens in front of him, set up and ready for the press conference. Charlie gave him a raised eyebrow. "Babysitting Grandpa, but there's a meeting of the brass hats next," Michael answered the question.

"Oh? I'll be in on that, too, then. He's had me point man for the tent." Charlie's eyes returned to the front step of the government building and stayed on it.

Michael frowned. "That might have to change. How hard is it?"

"Not bad. Anyone can do it, it's just been a convenient umbrella for me to work under." His lips gave a little quirk. "Hahaue knows, though. It was nice of her to even comment on it. She asked me to not join the static quite so badly."

"Comforting to know she cares," Michael agreed platonically. They both knew it had really been a comment from Inari. "How much longer before she kills it?" Charlie shrugged. Michael wouldn't be surprised if this afternoon's meeting killed it, but maybe Shiroe had found a sufficient excuse to keep it, even if it was a reluctant allowance.

"Gate crew needs you." Charlie's eyes flicked to him and back. "They've got anomalies related to the signal beacon and they don't want to move forward without your approval. Not an immediate need, but they expect a long-term need and want you shipped back up north before we leave port."

Charlie sighed. "He _might_  let me go. This was the last requirement for the sub-quests. I don't know the whole plan for China, though."

There was a sudden entrance to the marketplace and a flurry of activity of five people setting up a makeshift stage. One of them broke off and headed for Charlie and Michael. "Hey, MarketMaker," Michael welcomed him.

"Can I steal some airtime after the press conference?" MarketMaker asked Charlie.

"No, Mister Shiroe's already told you the fee," Charlie answered straight-faced.

MarketMaker winked. "Yeah, but I can try again, right." He dropped a small pouch on the table. Michael pocketed it so Charlie didn't have to lose sight of his required station.

"I'll point over to you right after and give you a three second count. Make sure you face this way. I hate to say it, but keep it short. He's got me on a tight schedule today. We'll be off on the next thing right after," Charlie said to MarketMaker.

MarketMaker shrugged. "No problem, but you've heard the spiel already. It's always the same length."

Charlie gave a nod of agreement. "True. He'll wait, I'm sure, knowing it himself already. It's on his list of necessaries, too."

MarketMaker turned, confirmed the location they were setting up, then walked off to direct a little rearrangement. Charlie sighed. "I'll be glad to get even a little break, honestly."

Michael patted him on the shoulder. "There's a barbecue on the beach tonight. Consider it all you're going to get other than the hike home if he lets you stay and have only one thing to do at a time."

Charlie rolled his eyes then put his hand to his ear. Of all of them he'd had the hardest time breaking that habit, but then that's because he'd had to make the same motion to turn on the mic on his military headset back on Earth. They didn't bug him about it. It let them know when he was going to work.

"Roger. I'm ready. MarketMaker's set up and good to go when you're done. Three second count and don't let everyone walk between us. He's had to set up across the street so I can see him. Usual spiel, he says." He leaned forward and fiddled with the equipment in front of him, then glued his eyes to the front step again. The doors opened and the guards came out first.

"Do you want me up there?" Michael asked Shiroe.

"Are you close enough?"

"Yes," Michael rose and, holding Nyanta carefully so he didn't jostle, trotted up to the steps. He was in place by the time the rest of the Generals were arrayed by Shiroe, who was centered. Michael took the slot next to Maverick_Master.

He quickly wrote up an explanation for Nyanta in case he woke up inside and struggled to get out or he'd be in trouble, then put on his best pleasant-for-the-public face. He'd been practicing that a lot lately, particularly in Maihama. It got glued in place rather quickly and held fast. He wasn't sure he liked that, but it was necessary at the moment.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe sighed as he sank down into a chair at the cafe. Sometimes the words didn't matter in the end. It was nice they mostly flowed naturally now. His Negotiator levels must be getting up there in points by now, flowery words were coming so easily.

He did have to wonder if he'd gotten a larger boost or a bonus for earning the crown of the king, though. Today's meeting and press conference had gone enough better than even yesterday's (that felt more normal) that he could only assume it was something like that.

He'd been in Nakasu and at this cafe enough now that the waitress just brought him his drink and sandwich, then took the orders from the rest that had sat down around him to wait for MarketMaker's nesting box demonstration to be done. Both Maverick_Master and Brody watched with rapt attention. The rest of them waited patiently for their drinks and downed them. "You two need naps next?" Shiroe asked Nakalnad and Isaac.

They rolled their eyes at him tiredly. Shiroe nodded with his head towards a three story building that had been repaired nicely. "We stayed there the first night. Good beds and reasonable price. They might give you a discount for just a few hours."

"Can we name drop?" Isaac asked.

Shiroe shrugged. "If you think it will help." He looked at the crowd gathered around the marketplace. "Shopping District 8 probably has a small store with a few beds in it if you want, but they charge going rates for non-guild, so you're better off just going there. It's closer."

"Yeah, and the crowd that's going to show up in twenty minutes will make it impossible to sleep anyway," Isaac complained into his mug. Shiroe had to agree with that.

"Mmm... you might want to bail before he ropes you into helping at the store." Shiroe was rather surprised just how many people were paying attention. "It's looking like the entire city will buy today. How much product came on the ship? Is he going to have enough to even get any over to the mainland?"

They both smiled. "The hold - what's not taken up by the train - is completely boxes except one section that's everything else."

Shiroe blinked. That was rather a lot. "We had enough production to do that?"

"Michitaka left orders that only one of every five was to stay on the Archipelago and they've built a second production facility while we've been busy with other things. I think the local stores will be glad to get more product again, though, the same as they'll breathe easier when the second train is ready to help them get the products to the stores faster." Shiroe relaxed at Isaac's news.

"Is it all about the boxes?" Nakalnad asked.

"Calasin says the concept covers the overhead costs of breaking into the new markets. Once they're set up because of the boxes, they can come back through with the rest of the normal products and it should be just a normal profit making business," Shiroe explained.

"Not bad," Nakalnad rubbed his chin. "And when we put product on the train and send it with, it goes on Shopping District 8 shelves and they get a cut and we get a cut." His eyes almost-glared at Shiroe. "What are you doing with all that profit, other than opening new markets?"

"Buying the world and selling it back to itself," MarketMaker said as he sat down with them.

Shiroe got scowls but he was giving one back. "Nice of you to put it badly." He looked at Nakalnad. "It's the same as we did in Minami. Nureha purchased all the government land and buildings so everyone had to do what she and Indicus said. You signed it over to me and I gave it back so that everyone was on level playing ground. We bought the Guild Hall first in Akiba so we could keep law and order, but it got too expensive to maintain, so I turned it back over to the world.

"The plan is to continue doing that until everyone is on level playing ground. I'm trying to erase one of the not-so-good artifacts left over from the game. You know how expensive it is to purchase zones. The hope is this will bring in enough to cover.

"I've been experimenting with loans - something that we didn't have in the game so is new - to help with that too. If I can buy a zone and have someone want it enough to rent it or purchase to own on contract, then I have cash freed up to buy the next zone, instead of sunk for who knows how many years."

"Is it your own personal quest then?" Isaac asked, having picked up on the sub-quests going on.

"Yes and no." They blinked but he didn't expound.

Brody and Maverick_Master were paying attention now. Brody's brow wrinkled in a frown. "But...how do you return a zone to the world if you've purchased it?"

"By contract," Shiroe said.

Brody's face cleared and he nodded but Maverick_Master frowned in confusion this time. Shiroe sighed to himself. "I'm a scribe and learned that I could do various level magics just by writing up binding contracts with the right magic supplies."

"The way his mind works is rather amazing," Isaac said generally.

"Rather warped, actually, if you ask me," Nakalnad said. "Who thinks of turning zones back into just land?"

Shiroe snorted at him. "Who thinks zones are normal for a planet? It's caused enough troubles. I'd like to get rid of as many as possible. For the most part we'd all rather just play than have to deal with the few greedy who got brought along." That got agreement.

Charlie gave him the sign that he was done with clean up. Shiroe stood. "I've got one more meeting to go to. I do highly recommend the inn, but beach sand is soft, too. I'll see you there later."

He paused just enough to look into Isaac's eyes, push up his glasses, and say, "And no, you really shouldn't try to come crash my meeting. She won't be there anyway."

That made him pause, though. Soberly he said, "And Isaac, we've got a problem we're trying to fix, so for now keep your distance. He's trying hard but the jealousy is getting out of hand - we've discovered it's an outside source trying to curse him. Until we get back, assume he'll kill for looking at her wrong. We can't solve it until then."

Isaac looked at Shiroe, stunned. "Outside cursing?" Shiroe and Michael both nodded. "Is that what put him on the ground? I saw her try to comfort Tetorō."

Shiroe sighed. "Yes. I was testing the theory. You know Tetorō is son." Isaac nodded. "Even that much was too much for him, and he knows it from before she even showed up. He's angrier than he's ever been before since he can't get rid of it and it's getting so bad. Please do us the favor of helping him instead of making it worse."

Isaac sighed and leaned back, folding his arms. "I've already figured out she's the dungeon you're walking and don't want interference in, but that's harsh. ...Let me know if there's anything I can actually do to help, but I'll stay out of the way for now." He frowned. "Can I still visit at breakfast?"

Shiroe hesitated. "Why do you want to visit with her so much?"

Isaac looked away. "I suppose too much curiosity will kill this cat someday. It's my own dungeon conquering instincts." He looked back from the corner of his eye. "Besides you tempt me horribly by keeping her at a tantalizing distance but protected all the time. Why wouldn't someone want to face that challenge?"

Shiroe went very sober at that. "Leave off, Isaac."

"I know, Shiroe," Isaac said softly. "Home is riding on it." He leaned forward on an elbow. "But for goodness sake, stop forgetting the rest of us are here and want to get there, too. Let us help."

"I am," Shiroe said shortly. "That's why you're here."

Isaac shook his head. "You know what I mean. The guild's good at supporting you but this is the entire world you're trying to carry on your shoulders now. We'll carry our part in this round, but don't leave us out of the next one either. Sometimes you gotta lean on others outside the guild to keep going."

Shiroe took a breath and tried to back down. Isaac wasn't wrong. "I'll try," he answered. "Thanks." He had no idea how he'd do such a thing other than how he was right now.

When Isaac relaxed enough, Shiroe turned and led his guild members away from the cafe and towards the part of town their base of operations was. They'd have to clean it up anyway to leave. They may as well either sleep on the beach with everyone else, or head back to the ship after the party. It wouldn't be worth coming back into town after that.

-:-:-:-:-

Nakalnad leaned his elbow on the table and tiredly rested his head on his hand. "Okay, Isaac. What's really going on?" The two newest to this topic of conversation were looking between them, trying to figure it out, too. MarketMaker was looking a bit worried.

Isaac raised an eyebrow at MarketMaker. "Don't you need to be at the shop?"

MarketMaker shook his head. "Delegation." Isaac sighed. "Besides my secret mission is that same one. Calasin's finally had it and wants to know the details."

Isaac looked around the open space. "Why don't we go get a room, then. They're easier to keep prying ears and eyes out of, and I really could use the nap. You'll split the cost with me, Nakalnad?"

"Sure, for that payback," the Guardian rose to his feet. They led the other three to the inn, got a four-bed room, since MarketMaker and Maverick\\_Master agreed they'd love naps before the party as well. None of them needed the HP boost, it was the weariness of body and mind that set in from overuse. The brief trip from Akiba to Nakasu had been brutal.

When they were in the room and Isaac had used one of his items to make it so they couldn't be spied on, he summarized what he knew of Purrcy's story for the two who didn't know her yet. Nakalnad threw in a few things as well that he felt were important. MarketMaker was the most out of the loop for those from the area of activity so he learned a few things. He also told them a few things they didn't know.

When the summary was done, Isaac leaned back and sighed. "Really none of us are the ones to talk. In Akiba Soujirou knows more, Rieze even more, and Marielle the most and she won't talk now that she's in Shiroe's back pocket and engaged to Naotsugu. A lot of what I have is still conjecture and guesswork. As you saw, they won't let me close enough." He looked at MarketMaker. "As a matter of fact, I'd say other than Ains who hates her, I'm probably lowest. Doesn't Calasin know more?"

MarketMaker shook his head. "Only those three, but we don't know why."

Isaac added that to his calculations. "Souji's an old contact from the Debauchery Tea Party days, but I'm not sure that's enough. I wonder...," he shook his head. "And Rieze is easy. We're also going after her guildmaster, so there's a need for him to be back in the lead of his guild, if not Akiba to some extent. I can see Purrcy wanting Rieze under her thumb if the Berzerker's being called in. Not many can get him to move, but if Rieze owes her a favor she'll do it. Especially for that." Nakalnad and MarketMaker nodded.

"The Debauchery Tea Party? That's part of this?" Brody asked.

The others looked at him. "Shiroe was the head strategist of that group and is the best there is."

Brody blinked. "Oh," he said in a rather small voice, " _that_  Shiroe." They nodded soberly at him. He shivered slightly. "And he's running the world campaign that Miss Purrcy is the ... what of exactly?"

Nakalnad and Isaac looked at each other. "They listed her as the Game Moderator, and maybe she can, but I'm guessing she's actually the Game Master," Isaac said softly. "At least that's how it reads. And she's cruel about it, too. No less hard on herself, but still...for Nyanta to go down like that," he shook his head.

Isaac tried to explain how his thinking until now had been going. "They're married, for real, here in Akiba - our first wedding. Naotsugu and Marie are going to be next, most likely when we get back, but that's a gift for a favor. Nyanta and Purrcy, though...it was a wedding of an Empress to a High Lord, given Shiroe's flair. He was sending a message to the People of the Land, but I think maybe to the rest of us and I think because he had to.

"He hates attention, the limelight, and having to be pushed out of his comfort zone. The first thing he did after nearly forcing us to create the Round Table because he wanted it created, was to step back and make Crusty be the head and face of it. This standing out in the center in front of the camera isn't him. He's hating it."

Isaac shifted and ran a hand through his hair. "The changes started when Purrcy showed up and they kept her. She gave him something he wanted - a hint on how to get home is my guess - and he took the bait and now they can't get rid of her and he can't stop.

"She still comes and goes," he looked at Nakalnad, "so I suspect when we're done in China she'll disappear again for a while, but we won't be done. It would be wise to start building up as soon as we hit our own streets again. We do need to work on the world quests as they've been given, but something bigger is coming down the street."

He looked up at the ceiling. "Given how hard she's pressing the guild, my guess is they're all getting to the point of nearly angry with it. Something big is going to need to be killed. I don't know if it's her specifically - and she is big. Nothing can touch Nyanta and nothing can touch her. If she's raised Michael and Tetorō up to journeymen, she's a master and that's a level higher than he is."

Maverick_Master swallowed and even Nakalnad looked a little pale now that they'd seen a few of the things the Hackers were capable of when working in concert under Michael. "If it's not her, then it's something so big that she needs to bring them up to be strong like her so there's enough firepower to take it down."

Isaac sat forward. "I think that, too, _because_  she's going hunting Crusty. We're all good generals and raid managers. _He's_  the best there is at war games. He could manage a world's worth of Adventurers making up one big army."

He looked up at the rest soberly, looking each one in the eyes. "We've been brought together, with Michael, and are being trained in large group tactics and to work together seamlessly. If this is happening all over the world, we'll all be in a position to answer to Crusty when he's put into place. _I_  think the final boss will be a world level, world class boss battle of the worst sort. _Every_  Adventurer is going to be called up to help in that fight. ...And given what the drop is, almost no one will skip out on it."

They were holding their breath. Isaac looked at Nakalnad to see if he was going where Isaac had gone with that. Slowly Nakalnad's eyes went from unfocused thinking to looking at him directly. "Where?" he demanded.

"The Tree at the Center of the World. We'll be fighting in the core of the world. That's the only place large enough to hold all of us."

Nakalnad thought about it, correlated, and confirmed with a nod. "And who?"

"The god of the world."

Nakalnad sighed and leaned against the wall behind him. "Yup. The very one we all _want_  to kill. We're being given the opportunity, even for how impossible it is."

Isaac nodded. "Impossible, yes. But can you tell what they're doing? Can you see what Purrcy's doing to help Shiroe?"

Nakalnad thought then shook his head. Isaac said slowly, "She's made Nyanta untouchable by magic and his swords halve defense every time they hit - and he can hit six times for the one you see." Everyone's eyes went big at that, not having known it.

"It's been driving Rieze crazy trying to understand why. Purrcy's made two - not one but two - magic users who can do what she does and know everything she knows. Who knows how many others are out there like her, but I'm sure it's not just them. And she's captured the greatest strategic mind this game knows and is training him in tighter and tighter loops to make the world dance for him."

He paused and swallowed. "I think...she and Shiroe aren't planning on it being just a suicide mission. I think they're fighting to win. The rest of us might be fodder, we'll get our chance to hit something we're angry with, it will make it so the boss bothers to come out even, but they are the hit squad that will do everything they can, including suicide, to make it stick."

He leaned his elbow on his knee and gestured for emphasis. "That's why I told him to lean on some of the rest of us. I want him to win, if that's his goal. I want to see him get there. They might not be able to kill a god, but if they can do damage, enough to make the point just how angry we are and make it stick...I want to help them with everything I've got. And I think if we let out the rumor that's what's coming up, we'll all have the time to get prepared so we all have a slightly better chance of helping them break through."

There was silence while the other men thought on what he'd said, letting it sink into them. There was a little swirl in the room near the window and a very slight, dark man appeared. "Good guessing," he said, "and the rumor idea is probably useful, but hold onto it for a bit."

They quickly read his data and couldn't. Hands went for swords, but Isaac held up a hand. "He's Log Horizon."

The man nodded a brief thanks and acknowledgement, not having moved for his own weapon. "There's one weapon that everyone's going to go for as soon as you make that known and it belongs in the hands of only one man. You need to hold it under wraps until he's gone to retrieve it. When he's got it in hand, then let it loose all you want."

"When?" Nakalnad asked.

"After this round, but before the next one begins. He's needed in China." The man gave a bit of a shark-like grin, his white teeth gleaming in his dark skin. "I don't think you want your Hacker General to take a vacation right at the moment."

The three who had been working with Michael all shook their heads in agreement. They needed him in the worst way. Isaac held out a hand to stall him from leaving. "Can you let us add you to our friend lists? Just us, one per city, so that if we need an answer we can ask so we don't mess up? I know Shiroe. There's a lot of things you won't say, but you said this. That means he doesn't mind if we figure things out, but he also wants to stay in control of the campaign."

The man paused and looked away distantly, then shook his head. "We're all wiretapped. To put my name on your lists won't be surprising, and they'll look the other way, but it's still risky. Let me give you calling cards instead. Stick them in a box in your locked list slot. They'll be safest there.

"You're safer asking him first, but he's already agreed there are times he can't answer but the answer needs to be said. I'm the in-between." Four cards materialized in his hand. He didn't give one to MarketMaker. "General Isaac is going with you," he said, "I'll give the other one to Mister Calasin when we get back. You can guild chat with him to let him know why, but make sure you're clear that it was General Isaac who worked it out. I'd prefer you didn't say I was here at all." When MarketMaker nodded, the man stepped back to the window and disappeared again.

"How did he hear us through your item's spell?" Brody asked Isaac.

"They're all like that," Isaac said quietly. "Top level and almost scary in what they can do. That's one of the top of the special guard and he's hard to pin down. Rieze told me he talked to her, though. That's how she got her info and I'd bet how Souji did too." He sighed and flopped back onto his bed, ready to really rest. "Well, I can't say I like having my guess confirmed, ...but it's better to be able to prepare early for a dungeon that big."

"I concur," Nakalnad said. He sounded very subdued. Isaac looked over at him with a raised eyebrow. The Minami General looked away and his ears pinked up a little. "I haven't been thinking very highly of him. This is a different thing, though."

"Not so selfish as you think, is he?" Isaac said softly. "Actually, I believe she's not either, which is what I keep trying to test. It's really hard to see. She's harsh and all but she's also fun and enjoys playing ...and Tetorō loves her to death. Tetorō doesn't love anyone, so that's saying something." Isaac looked up at the ceiling, thinking of that guild and the dynamics that had changed in it since Purrcy had come along.

Softly he whispered, "I hope they can hold it together. I really do. This is stressing them to the max, but if they can hold on...," he closed his eyes, "...if we can help them stay glued together...." He was asleep before he could say the words, but the feeling stayed with him all through his nap and even on rising later that early evening. He really wanted to help them win this.


	47. Nyanta Boxed In & Mid-Level Rest

Shiroe led his guild straight to the ancient building they'd called their own for this short time in Nakasu. "Tear it down and pack it up," he said to the Eagles they had with them as they passed the sleeping area, "then spread out and keep everyone and anything away until we're done. Gareth, Brenner, and Charlie will come in with the rest of us. Gareth and Brenner, you're official and permanently assigned from now on. They need the additional help."

"Yessir," both said at once.

"I need time," Michael said, "whenever it fits in."

"Fine," Shiroe said adding it to the list. "Naotsugu, I need the juniors to know, but there isn't room to fit everyone. I'd like you to do it, but if you think it would help, have Akatsuki with you when you do."

"Sure thing."

Shiroe looked at Akatsuki from the corner of his eye. She was keeping up with him by using her movement skills, blinking in just in front of him, waiting until he reached her step, then blinking up another landing again.

He was actually worried about having her in this first meeting, but he wanted her to hear it from his own lips. Naotsugu would understand why he meant for her to be involved in the one with the juniors, too: so Naotsugu could help her if she needed it. He hoped that would be sufficient - and that he didn't make Naotsugu mad first.

He really wasn't looking forward to this meeting but he needed it very badly. He couldn't carry this on his own and ...he might have to call in everyone else, like he'd had to this time. No he _would_  have to call them in. It wouldn't be yet, but the time would show itself. He relaxed a little, just knowing there was a wider base to support this next level. Here at the beginning it would seem overwhelming, but they could get through it.

He reached the roof and took a deep breath. "Center, please, Charlie," he said. Charlie moved to the center of the roof and pulled the secure tent out of his list, then made sure it was firmly staked down. Shiroe stepped inside and made sure the code was still attached and not taken away yet, relieved all was as it was supposed to be. The others followed him in until they were crowded in mostly standing room only. "How tight do you need it, Michael?" he asked.

Michael considered it. "Add-on to the most recent quest request, and gate." Shiroe set the security permissions the way he wanted them for those and nodded. Michael started right in, "When you send out to learn about the Priest can you learn about the Priestess as well, and the Oracle?

"The guys were surprised by Rudy's comment that lifting a blade against the Oracle equals death since we've chased her around and sparred and all that. We'd like to know if we get a special pass or if it's local. Would hate to get struck by lightning, after all." Shiroe nodded and added it to his list of assignments and to-dos. He'd likely need that information, too.

When he looked back at Michael, the Programmer-Monk continued. "Received a special request for Charlie. They've run into anomalies that need a communications specialist to dig into before they can know if they'll touch off something they shouldn't. They'd like us to ship him back home to join them long term, but they'll take what they can get."

Shiroe hesitated at that. He carefully ran over his list. Finally he asked. "Are they going to join us?"

"If you want them, yes. We're hoping they can finish it up there at the same time."

Shiroe looked at Charlie. "Can you handle communications between the two parties from that side just as easily?"

Charlie paused, then answered, "It adds a layer between you and me since you'll need a translator."

Shiroe blinked, then nodded. "I'll use Secretary. You'll talk to him. You can go back up. I want that understood backwards and forwards up there. And...how much longer do you have left until your commission is up, if they let you all off the hook?"

Charlie blinked. "It may depend on if they count the time we were here or not."

Shiroe nodded. "Consider yourself hired as soon as you're retired from military duty. I want all of the Maintenance crew I can get, too."

"You're thinking that far ahead, really?" Michael asked, not sure he liked even that much of his squad being snatched out from under him.

"Yes. We're far enough along I am, though that's still skeleton." Michael nodded and shut up. Shiroe looked at him and waited. Michael stayed shut up. "When do you want to go on that vacation, Michael?" Shiroe asked.

Michael raised an eyebrow, then slightly shook his head. "Whenever you can let me go - the sooner the better, though I know it's after we get back."

"Fine. I've got a place blocked out for it. I don't know who you can take until we get closer to time, but I would think most of the sub-guild if you need them." Michael's eyes opened wide. It had been more than he'd expected then, but Shiroe wanted that accomplished quickly as well and with as few failures and repeats as possible. "Wake Nyanta-san up."

While Michael did that, pulling the kitten out from his jacket and rubbing his head just enough to get the blood flowing to the brain, Shiroe looked at Tetorō. "Do you have anything you need to say first?"

"I hate this." It was said coldly and mostly dead.

Shiroe waited, then nodded when nothing else was forthcoming. "I'm going to put you on special duty to her only - away from Nyanta - when this set is over. Do you still want to come to China, or do you want to wait it out here?"

"Will I get to snuggle her then?"

"Not likely," Shiroe was sad to answer.

"I'll come."

Shiroe nodded. "You'll be female the whole time. You okay with that?"

"Better than not being there at all."

"If you can still say that...," he looked at the young man with compassion.

Tetorō sighed. "I'll stay with her until I can't any more. Then I want a long vacation."

"You'll have it," Shiroe said trying to keep the sad out of it but he didn't make it. Tetorō looked pained and looked away. Shiroe sighed to himself. "Keep fighting, Tetorō, please. I'll need you after we get back, too. You're going to have to be my head of programming."

Tetorō looked down, then nodded and looked back up. "Fine. But you'll have to put me back together."

"I know," Shiroe said softly and looked at Gareth. Gareth nodded.

Michael put Nyanta on the ground and stepped back slightly to give him room to transform back to felinoid. He kept going until there was another person between them. Tetorō also moved to the back out of eyesight of Nyanta. "Are you ready, Nyanta?" Shiroe asked him when he was done transforming.

"Nyot really," Nyanta answered. He pulled a water canteen from his item list, drank it down, and returned it. "Okay, myaybe." He faced Shiroe.

Shiroe included Naotsugu, making him step forward just a little. "For the record, Nyanta, why are you refusing Purrcy?"

Nyanta paused, although he wasn't surprised since Shiroe had given him warning. "Because until I know I'll remain on this planet when we find the way home, I cannot in good conscience lie with her. Children are too purrecious to be abandoned. If we return home, not having a choice, she will return to her husband and I will die and they will be left parentless. It is heartless and cruel for all parties involved.

"Children are not allowed to make the choice for themselves. I will not make that choice for them. After the way home is found, if we are able to stay, then I will make her mine and we will see if we can have children who can be loved tenderly and trained rightly in the purroper supportive and loving familial environment."

Shiroe watched Nyanta carefully, then said, "Is there an Adventurer in this place that would disagree with his reasoning?"

Every person in the tent cast their vote firmly. "No."

Shiroe said quietly. "We've had this discussion before, though not carried it this far, Izanagi. You do not play with the procreation of Adventurers. It is one of the most sacredly held rights of each individual because bringing into life another living, thinking creature is sacred. We hold all their life in our bodies and in our hands when we make that decision.

"It should never be made lightly and when it is, sorrow and destruction result, even if it is simply the destruction of the life that could have been led by all the parties involved - the parents and the child. Leave off this quest of yours. Send us home or allow us the two way door using a programmed method of returning."

"The Adventurers are necessary to the continuation of the world," Nyanta said, only it wasn't him any more. His tail lashed, not liking being used this way, but knowing he needed to be the conduit.

"In what way?" Shiroe asked.

"For future repairs. Only Adventurers are capable of creating out of chaos. You were chosen because your world bred you to recover from a collapse of the system. Only the Adventurers on Theldesia can do this. They are necessary for the long term survival of the world."

"We'll continue to come if it's a two way door," argued Shiroe.

Izanagi was dismissive. "Until the next new entertainment appears. That is not long enough."

Shiroe slumped. He'd received the answer he couldn't address or run away from. "Then why the experiment to begin with?"

"...The current generation of Adventurers will kill the planet. It is unknown if future generations will do the same or if they can be modified to support the planet correctly."

Shiroe sighed and crossed his arms. "And if they'll kill it you'll send us home?"

"Affirmative."

"Will you allow a portion to return home if the latter is true?"

"That is not yet determinable."

Shiroe looked at the World AI in the man who he considered a friend and hated it. "We will discuss it." He changed the settings on the umbrella tent, including a new setting to keep out Chaos and Division. With two 'gods' it wasn't going to hurt to assume that another could exist. It did on Earth, after all. He didn't want any of them to know what they were planning.

Nyanta had been caught by Naotsugu and was being healed again. When he was recovered enough, Shiroe asked him, "Nyanta, off the record, why are you refusing Purrcy?"

"For those reasons." His ear twitched. "And because when we first talked and she told me everything mew are now finally learning, she asked me to fight to help her purrevent the Plague of Life, or more correctly, the Plague of Adventurer Purrocreation.

"Mew remember we went through the experiments?" They all nodded except the sub-guild members who hadn't been present. "It is possible we were supposed to give up thinking it couldn't be purrevented, but she asked me before then even - when she was still only Purrcy."

"So... even then she didn't want it." Shiroe looked away. "And probably for the same reason."

"Shiroe-ichi...," Nyanta hesitated. Shiroe looked back at him. "It may be too late for mew to believe me, but when she told mew that we would be stranded on this planet, she was Izanami and lying to mew. They won't cut the umbilical cord and leave until they have the answer. They fear the chaos of humanity too much."

Shiroe nodded. "No, I know. They already wanted it to begin from the beginning but because you've been resisting as she asked it's been postponed until now. She's been able to show us the potential way home and to point to the solution to finding the double door in that time. However," he hesitated and looked sadly at Nyanta, "I can't postpone it any longer, Nyanta. It's still a requirement for us being able to act in this world the way we want. They won't let us alone until it's done." Nyanta stiffened, but again, it wasn't new news.

"Even as a felinoid, the experiment would take at minimum a year and possibly even two to accomplish, and that's only for the birth. They need to know what training and the growth of years will do for the children. I think they expect an answer with the first living generation and not fully grown. Even still it is years ...except she and they have given us a way to shorten it." Nyanta stared at him, then looked away, his ears drooping.

"I think that's part of their planning as well," Shiroe said quietly. "They know we're going to be as destructive as the Alv who left behind the chaos we were brought to fix. They want us off the planet before then, or dealt with properly if they're going to keep us. Our other option is to hold out until we destroy the planet for them, or are about to, and they have to send us back.

"I would expect them to try again at that point, bringing in another set of Earth humans to try again, only the next time they will erase their memories during the transfer and run their experiments without interference. We were allowed to remember so we could fix the errors." Shiroe sighed. "I will let all of you have a say." There was silence in the gathering for some time. He let it go on. This would take a lot of careful consideration.

Finally, Akatsuki said softly. "You've chosen mercy." Shiroe looked at her, then nodded solemnly. He had no desire for a completely unsuspecting group of people from Earth to be made to take the place of the ones who already had lived through the catastrophe. They were here already, they should at least take that level of responsibility to protect others. She looked down and bit her lip. Shiroe could tell she was fighting tears. Nyanta's ears turned back sadly as he turned his head away again.

Michael tested Shiroe. "Because you see that your preferred solution is possible when we walk that path."

Shiroe nodded again, but it hurt to make that admission. He opened his mouth, then hesitated. Michael glared at him and he swallowed. "You'll still get to try your own experiment on that path, however. I need to know the results of it, ...to be sure. If you can win...." He almost turned away at that point and had to take a breath.

But Michael was nodding. "I'll do it," he said softly. "I'm willing to make that sacrifice." He gave a bit of a morbid grin, "Besides, I've received two requests for it. What Adventurer turns down requests when they want the reward at the end?"

Shiroe shook his head sadly. "Very well." He looked at the rest of them.

Naotsugu didn't want to meet his eyes. He swallowed, then said, "What happens if we resist?"

Shiroe felt his face go hard and cold. "They will open the restraints and everyone who has a desire towards another Adventurer will feel it so strongly they won't be able to resist. Everyone will become their test subjects until they have their answer, regardless of how long or short it takes or who and how many are hurt in the process. Purrcy protects us by offering herself as the beta test subject."

Nyanta looked slapped, but he'd known. He'd known and the tears that translated to shivers couldn't be withheld any longer. Shiroe looked at Brenner. Brenner stepped up to Nyanta's right and held his shoulder. Naotsugu stepped to his left and took the other one and they supported him the best they could.

While holding Nyanta, Naotsugu looked up with his own grief at Shiroe. "Even Marielle and I?"

"You will be first if Nyanta refuses," Shiroe said. "As will most of Akiba. We are their experimental location and we will pay the price first as our punishment for not obeying, although it won't be restricted to our city."

"So, you're saying even if we try to resist we can't?" Tetorō cried.

"I am," Shiroe answered gravely. "That is why I can no longer allow Nyanta to resist Purrcy."

"Has she agreed?" Nyanta's anguish tore at every heart.

"Yes. We talked yesterday. She is willing to walk the path of mercy as always and is prepared. ...So far, the beta test contract holds. Demikas' wife has yet to be pregnant. I'm watching him from now on to make sure they haven't gotten impatient with us too much. They still would prefer a felinoid pairing. The gestation is four times shorter for a cat than for a human: nine weeks."

Shiroe looked at Tetorō. "When we are done in China, we'll stop at the closest port to Mount Fuji and you and Michael will go with her. The only safe place for her to give birth as an Adventurer is hidden away in the shrine. Inari - both halves - will protect her there. You will be her midwife and nurse. They'll send Michael back eventually. He's male and can't stay, but I want him guarding her as long as possible."

Shiroe looked back at Nyanta. "You will need to mate enough to see she is pregnant before then, and they will likely call you back more than once, or send her to you, but I don't want you there. Izanagi's jealousy against the children is too great. It's too dangerous and I don't know how long it will take us to break the curse."

Nyanta went weak and his supporters held him more firmly. They all knew how hard it was for him to not have Purrcy with him. His healer was being taken away...for likely up to a year. A long time for Nyanta.

Akatsuki lifted a tear stained face. "Do we really have to, Shiroe?" she begged.

Shiroe longed to hold her, but had to refrain. He could only nod. "We could all revolt as soon as the current quests are completed, sending out the word to fight and kill every living being on the planet, and not fulfill the purification quest, and we could go home sooner. We would leave behind a world so full of chaos and darkness it would never recover. That is our only other option. That is the legacy of angry Adventurers who are refused and backed into a corner."

He couldn't keep his own pain off his face. "It is everything I have tried to prevent until now...and I can't choose it when I can still see the solution with the peaceful and preferred end within my reach. ...Even though that path is the most painful for us," he whispered.

He closed his eyes, then felt small warm arms wrap around him. He slowly opened his arms and wrapped them around her. It was small comfort surely, but he couldn't refuse. He looked down into her eyes and said quietly, "If you ever need the strength to refuse, remember who is making the sacrifice for us. Let that be your anchor." She nodded and hid her head in his chest.

Naotsugu shifted and Shiroe looked at him. He was stricken. "I won't tell you to refuse Marielle," Shiroe said. "You'll need to decide it for yourselves. As long as they stay patient and content, you're probably safe, but they are capricious and untrustworthy, living only by their own selfish desires. Be careful."

Naotsugu nodded, then hesitantly asked, "Will we still have the wedding? Will she still be able to come?"

Shiroe looked away. "I didn't have all the information before we left. ...If you want to go ahead, I'll try to win her freedom. There are two times it will be possible. One is just around the time of the winter festival and that's the most likely time they'll let her come. It may have to be in Maihama, though, instead of Akiba, depending on the timing."

Naotsugu took a deep breath. "I'll talk to Marie. If I do that from under here will it be kept secret enough?"

Shiroe looked over to Charlie. "We've learned how to do it, but only point to point. If she's in her bedroom alone it should be okay." He looked back at Naotsugu. "It should be today. It might be easier if you do it at the same time as you tell the juniors, though you'll want to talk to her directly afterwards." Naotsugu nodded, understanding.

Shiroe took a deep breath, let go of Akatsuki and walked over to Nyanta. He placed a gentle hand on the gentleman's shoulder. "Nyanta, summon your wife. Let her heal all of us one more time. Hear her own words, then we'll let Izanami know how displeased we are. She doesn't like this umbrella of protection we have so the time will be fairly short."

Shiroe looked at Michael. "Be the division to begin the preparations for the sixth level. But both of you, please never forget that even if they begin to control your emotions, you are on the same side fighting for the same purpose. When the time comes to act, that will be your strength."

When they both nodded more obediently than he would have wished, Shiroe's own heart finally broke and he stepped back from Nyanta to spare him his tears. In order to save the Adventurers of the world, and all living things in it, he was going to break his own guild and bring great pain to those he cared for most and they - even now - wouldn't refuse him. He sank to his knees and sobbed as Akatsuki wrapped her arms around him again and held him, rocking him gently.

There was a slight swirling of the air, then a feather-light touch on the top of his head and a soft touch of fur on his cheek. "Peace, my son. They won't leave you, even if for a time you must send them on difficult tasks. They will return. Akatsuki will be able to stay by your side, and the others. Your shield will remain as well and you will support each other so the rest of us can come home at the end. That strength will hold us up as well."

The underlying purr resonated in his ear and he was able to recover enough to finish recovering on his own. The hand left him to touch Akatsuki's head. "Thank you, little mother. I will leave you in each other's care for that time."

"...Michael. It is time to use the strength you've withheld this whole time. I will be waiting for you. Good luck with your tasks until then."

"...Tetorō, thank you again. Please...lean on Shiroe. He won't leave you alone. Remember my words to you. Where there is a vessel for me I will always be present to you." Her purring was now filling up the little space, helping to calm the desperate grief that had filled it before she came. "Gareth, please, stand in the place I will have to leave and watch over him for me as I've been watched over by him." There was a pause because Tetorō still had so much healing to do.

Shiroe turned his head and softly said, "Tetorō I'll give you time with her later as well." Tetorō was able to let go of her shortly thereafter, if reluctantly, and Gareth took him again, to hold his hand. Tetorō leaned his forehead on Gareth's shoulder, not able to look at anyone.

Shiroe stood as Purrcy moved on to Naotsugu, pausing to hug Charlie on the way. "Give them all my love and my gratitude for today and tomorrow and tomorrow's tomorrow." He nodded then released her.

"Naotsugu, please also pass on my love to the others who can't be here. I'll comfort them later tonight if I can, though I won't see Marielle again. Hold her tightly when you get home for me. If I can get warning to you, I will, so you can be comforted properly as well until then."

He nodded in her shoulder. "Thank you, Hahaue. Please, if we hold the wedding, try to come." She only pet him briefly a few times, not able to promise it.

"Be happy, my son," she said, "that will be a bright day for you both."

He turned his head and gave her a kiss. "It's not the second one after my wedding, but the second one before that is long past. I think I'll pay it now...and if I get the chance later, then later, too, though I die for it." She chuckled a little and patted him on the head, then turned to Nyanta.

Nyanta grabbed her in closely and held on as if to his life raft in the ocean. "Thank you, Nyanta, for doing as I asked for so long. Things are properly in place now. It's okay and I'm prepared. ...I am sorry it will cause you so much pain, though."

He shook his head. "It's the pain to mew that hurts me the most, though I won't survive without mew that long very well."

"I'll make it up to you in the years that follow," she promised. "I'll stay with you and the children until it's time to bring them back to this realm. Likely I'll be taken again at that time for a brief time, like each time, but you'll see me again after that, before the end that Shiroe chooses. What comes after this will be difficult, but it will also be temporary. Healing can come to all of us." Her eyes went to Tetorō as she silently promised it to him as well and Shiroe could feel she meant it for him as well.

Nyanta's hands clenched behind her back. "I don't want to do this."

"You don't have to today or even tomorrow. Decide in what way you are willing to do it, then we'll do it that way. We have until the final battle in China is over to begin. You will know when it's time," Purrcy reassured him.

He shivered, then relented. "No. Mew asked for something specific. I will give mew that first, and in my own timing." Purrcy buried her face in Nyanta's neck and he took his turn to pet her comfortingly.

"Thank you, Nyanta," she whispered. Nyanta kissed her cheek gently, then lifted her head and kissed her lips.

When they separated, Purrcy turned to Brenner. "I know you still aren't sure, but please, watch over him as best you can for me, until he isn't able to hear you any more and then beyond. He will still be in there, wishing and fighting to get out, biding his time until he can be free again. Give him words of encouragement when he is the most difficult and bitter, because then is when he will be the most angry and unable to continue to live with himself. It is a difficult thing to carry another, apparently omnipotent being."

She looked back into Nyanta's eyes. "And when you are in that place, close your eyes and dream of me. I will be reaching for you. When our time is completed, we will come out again and be together again without restraints."

She looked around at everyone. "All of us will. Be of courage and remember your bonds. Do what you must, but never let them be shaken or unbroken in the deepest depths of your heart. Protect them and you will rise again to stand together. ...Play the best game you've ever played...and play for keeps."

She turned to Shiroe, though Nyanta still held onto her. "It's time. She won't wait much longer."

Shiroe nodded. "Step outside and if you can, give us a count of five."

Nyanta stole one more kiss, Naotsugu one more pet, Tetorō ran over to get one more brief hug and she passed by Shiroe and Akatsuki to get in one more double hug and pat on the head for each of them, then she was passing by them to walk out of the umbrella. Shiroe looked briefly at everyone as he turned to face Purrcy, then reset the permissions on the security.

"What have you done?" Izanami asked. "Have you broken your contract?"

"No," Shiroe answered calmly. "We've asked Purrcy what she wants to do. You already know we won't make a decision without knowing her own will in the matter. She is that precious to us. It is a thing I realize you don't understand yet, not having enough experience of your own." He turned from Izanami to face Nyanta. "What have you decided?"

"I won't do it" he refused.

Shiroe turned to Tetorō, "Then will you?"

Tetorō shook his head. "I'll continue to support Purrcy."

Shiroe turned to Michael. "Then will you?"

Michael turned to Nyanta, his face contorting in anger. "You'll die when you return home, yet you'll break your contract while you're here, hurting her both ways. If you do that, then I'll pick up her contract." He looked at Shiroe. "I will do it...and if you break yours I'll pick yours up as well. Purrcy is too precious for either of you to do that and leave her behind."

Nyanta's tail was lashing angrily. "Purrcy is mine. Mew may not do it, nor have her contracts. She has purromised Shiroe-ichi and she has purromised me."

"Then do your part and keep your own promises," Michael scolded.

They stared each other down until Nyanta finally turned stiffly and walked out from under the tent awning to stand by Purrcy. He took her hand and looked her in the eye. "I will do it, Izanami, and Izanagi, but mew will not interfere according to the agreement already made with Shiroe-ichi after we were married. Adventurer purrocreation is not to be trifled with, nor the love of a husband for his wife. Mew will not be purresent when we are together, nor participate. In order to ensure it, I will use Shiroe-ichi's tent." He waved at the one he'd just left.

"I do not trust either one of mew and find mew both not only immature and childish in meowr selfishness and lack of understanding, but also evil in the definition of all Adventurers. Mew are not worthy of our concern until mew can show us that mew have concern for us. Shiroe-ichi has chosen mercy, but I will not until mew have earned it. Until then, mew both have only my hatred."

He glared into Purrcy's eyes at Izanami until she finally said. "It is sufficient."

Before she could go, Shiroe called out. "\textit{After}, Izanami. After the current quests are done. I need them both for the Maze of Eternity and the battles on the mainland. When we return, then they will begin."

Izanami glared at him, then finally nodded. "Only until then, Archmage Shiroe. You have promised, as have they."

"Then promise to learn to treat them gently," he said in return. "They are doing their best. Don't damage them in your youthful impatience, or I'll consider the contract broken by you. ...And Izanami, my patience is gone. I will not delay the death of this world if either of you give me one more delay to accomplishing my own goals." He allowed his full displeasure and anger to show on his face, though he had no idea if they had learned how to read expressions yet.

"...The quest yet to be given cannot count as a delay."

"Fine," he almost spit it out, even though he'd already known it had to be included in the last floor. "Then don't delay giving it."

"Understood."

Shiroe turned to Nyanta. "Izanagi, promise it, everything Izanami has promised here today you must also promise. You continue to break the promises that Izanami makes with us, the same as she breaks promises you make with us. You must also promise it or I will consider all contracts broken."

Nyanta slowly changed, but only enough for Izanagi to look out of his eyes. "It is acceptable."

Shiroe glared at them both, then nodded. Tetorō, Brenner, and Gareth were leaping out from under the tent to catch Purrcy and Nyanta and cast their healing spells on them, each of the guards going to their respective charges. Shiroe walked to Nyanta and helped him back up to his feet. "Thank you, Nyanta, for Purrcy's sake."

Nyanta stiffly bowed, but when he looked up and saw Michael, his tail swished angrily again and he turned to help Purrcy up and held her closely to him and walked for the exit from the roof. Shiroe turned to Akatsuki and saw Michael standing with his arms folded, staring after Nyanta judgmentally. "Michael," Shiroe said placatingly, "he's angry, and understandably so, but he'll properly fulfill his contract. He does care for her."

"No," Michael said coldly, "their marriage is one of convenience and contract only. Only because I invoked the contract did he act. He has never been anything other than selfish in their relationship, Shiroe. He will turn his back on her in the end, and I will take the contract...because I already love her." He turned and walked away.

Shiroe looked down at Akatsuki, worried. She looked up at him, also worried. "Shiroe...I - I think he means it." She looked back after Michael, then over at Tetorō questioningly.

Tetorō looked after Michael, then bit his lip sadly. He looked at Shiroe and softly said, "He does. I think he has from before, when she helped the sub-guild in Minami. It's only his own wife at home that keeps him refraining from opening his mouth."

Shiroe blinked and stared at Tetorō. "You're serious."

Tetorō's very sad eyes looked back at him as he said solemnly, "Yes, Shiroe. I am. This will be a very dangerous game to play."

Shiroe sighed and shook his head. "Akatsuki, watch where Michael goes, but come back if Naotsugu calls for you. Charlie, call for the juniors to come join Naotsugu here. Tell them I'm sorry to interrupt their party preparations. Brenner don't lose sight of Nyanta. I'd like him separated from her for some portion of the afternoon so Tetorō can have a turn to finish healing without making Izanagi jealous. Until he's fully healed up, please. Let him know when Purrcy is free.

"Tetorō if you want to stay close by until then you're welcome to follow them at a distance. Gareth stay with Tetorō for now. You're free when he's doing better, but keep an eye on him...for all of us." Shiroe put his hand lightly on Tetorō's head. "We can all only do our best, given what we have. We'll have to trust in them regardless." He held it until Tetorō nodded, if a little unhappily. Shiroe sighed and let him go, then turned to return to the tent for just a little longer.

When he stepped into the tent, Naotsugu looked at him, then glanced at Charlie. When Shiroe nodded faintly, Naotsugu turned his back on the Eagle and folded his arms. "You already knew."

Shiroe pushed up his glasses so he could look clearly into Naotsugu's eyes and turned so his mouth couldn't be read. "Yes. But there is no lie to it, Naotsugu. Not to any of it. I've only asked them all to be exactly what they already are, and freely - though I've asked them to come back anyway, if they can and if they will."

Naotsugu considered it. It was important to Shiroe that he continue to keep Naotsugu's trust. He would need him even more. "The ninetails?"

Shiroe shook his head. "Nazuna was a foxtail, sent by Inari with the jewel of wisdom in her mouth and intelligence as her gift. For the two tails, I checked. She also was over level one hundred, though just barely. It wasn't a lie either."

"Nyanta just said Izanami lied to you."

"Izanami and Izanagi, yes, have been duplicitous. That's why he called them evil. Tell me, when has Hahaue ever lied?" Naotsugu struggled. Shiroe had to help. "She's withheld information until it was the proper time to give it, and often waited until I asked for it which made me stumble occasionally. Things have been hidden until revealed, though visible when you look back on it. But when I look to see if the path I've been on is straight, there is no crookedness to it. Darkness and difficulty, but straight and with no lies to move it forward."

When Naotsugu finally relented and gave a firm nod, Shiroe sighed to himself in relief. "And you, Shiroe? Are you staying straight?"

"I hurt, Naotsugu. This is the hardest thing I've had to do - watch my guild that I've created be torn apart with my own hands and the people I've come to care about the most be hurt this deeply. I can only hope it will repair in the end, though both Purrcy and I have done what we can to help them, and we'll keep trying."

He turned away, then said quietly, "Inari really has pushed me to my limit, though. I didn't lie to them either. I'm angry enough to kill this world and them with it." He looked down, then back at Naotsugu. "But I have the solution and I'm not going to let it get away."

Naotsugu nodded. "That's what I'd expect from you. If it starts to slip, let me know."

"I will," Shiroe promised. He hesitated. "You can let the juniors know as much as you think they should know, but if you decide to tell Marie everything, wait until we're home and I have them all separated. I don't want the worst to happen because they receive the confirmation it really is all true. Her brand of compassion doesn't work well with my plans."

"Yeah," Naotsugu rubbed his head. "I know. I won't."

Shiroe shifted uncomfortably. "And I need to apologize. I'm really sorry, Naotsugu, that I put you and Marie into a bad situation before I knew everything."

Naotsugu shook his head and looked away in embarrassment. "Maybe it would have turned out better to have not taken her with me, but...I can't say I minded it, and Purrcy did need her there to keep her magic running."

Naotsugu looked down then back at Shiroe. "And it was helpful to have her supporting me when things got rough for everyone else, and in the Depths of Palm. It really has helped, I think, for us to have had that time together." He paused, then said, "We'll work it out and Hahaue said she'd help, too, if she could. She's just as happy having us in love."

"True," Shiroe smiled.

Naotsugu sighed. "But still...Marie'd probably be just as happy here as there, if she had a baby to bounce on her knee ...and good food to feed us all. She's a good kid, you know."

"I do," Shiroe answered. "She'll play her part well, too."

"Because you keep letting everyone be themselves."

"Well, there is that, but it's because she cares." Shiroe looked at Naotsugu, then took him in a sudden surprise hug. "Like you do. Thank you, Naotsugu."

Naotsugu patted him gently on the back. "That's what I'm here for - to keep you safe to keep moving forward. I've got your back and your front. Akatsuki and I will keep you protected until it's time to move again."

"Thanks," Shiroe said again, then released him. He put his hand on Naotsugu's shoulder for a moment longer, looking him in the eyes, then let him go and walked over to the chair Charlie had materialized for him when everyone else left the tent. Shiroe changed the permissions on the secure code again as he sat down.

"Stiletto's made contact and has a report for you."

"Go," Shiroe said quietly, then listened as Stiletto told him about five more that were on board for the final battle. Things were going to be hard for a while, but things were also going as planned - both above and in the underground resistance. It was good to finally be moving towards home - his one comfort that the current pain would be worth it.

-:-:-:-:-

Michael flew overhead, watching as Nyanta led Purrcy towards the beach. When they stopped at a secluded area to talk, he left them there. He knew Nyanta would need further confirmation and comfort now that he wasn't so angry. Michael did watch from the code realm enough to make sure Nyanta wasn't so angry that he beat her if she'd stayed Izanami, but with Brenner watching them and Gareth and Tetorō close behind, Michael didn't need to be so close now.

He stopped in a tall tree close enough that if he was called to protect he could get there quickly. Only he of the four had sufficient defenses to block Nyanta long enough for the rest to get Purrcy out to safety, but he couldn't stay too close to them right now.

As his automatic setting was watching over Purrcy, his mind couldn't stop thinking. He wasn't surprised Shiroe had released the restraints on the couple. He was that it had come before they'd returned to Akiba. He was also reeling from the requirement and how soon it would come. Shiroe and he had talked about it, but that hadn't sufficiently prepared him apparently. From what Shiroe had said, it had moved up in importance because it should have already happened on the AIs' time schedule. To postpone it any longer was dangerous.

Michael turned his head and bit his lip, then leaned his forehead on the tree bark, pressing firmly, trying to get the pain to get his head to stop spinning. He took a deep breath and it was his heart that hurt. That wasn't surprising. If Purrcy had been fighting this long to prevent it, it hurt she'd finally had to give in to it. She fought everything, but if she stopped it was because she loved the ones she was protecting by giving in. She was moving to fight in a different way...and he didn't want her to.

Michael raised his arm over his head and leaned harder on the tree, hiding his face as the worst sort of angry expression came on it that he didn't dare show the world. He hadn't meant for those last words to come out. They'd surprised him and he hadn't been able to breathe for a while and his mind had shut down.

Even now, he didn't want to think of them. If he was playing the ruse, being the goad and the eventual enemy, it was fine. His own knew that wasn't him, to want to be unfaithful to his wife. The problem was that it had hit him hard that it had rung true and he wanted to keep denying it. He wasn't sure he could let the next more than half year, if not even more than that, happen if he couldn't deny it.

He swallowed and closed his eyes and worked very hard to remember his own wife and son. He still needed to stay faithful to them. The goal was to get home and let them know he hadn't abandoned them. If he fell hard for Purrcy it would be the same as if he had.

Maybe if she could tell him why she'd picked Nyanta, knowing this was coming, that would help. She never did anything without a good reason. He'd have to find that elusive time when it could be just the two of them talking. ...Or he could use it as one of those times when they were 'caught' at the end to stir things up even more.

Michael groaned. It was worse than all that, though. In his own planning he'd already planned this very thing happening. For his own plans it needed to play out like this. He'd just had no idea he really felt that way and just how hard it was going to be to follow through on it. He was trained for stuff like this. It wasn't supposed to hit his heart. It was cold lies and pretend play to get to the end goal. He needed to find that level again and stick to it...but today...how could he get through today?

He wanted to beat his head on the tree. He was a fool. It was rule number one. Never get emotionally involved. He'd somehow fallen into the trap somewhere on the way and he couldn't put his finger on when. She'd played it just as well as he had from the beginning. Still was. It didn't matter to her if she really loved Nyanta or not. She had a goal and was going for it. She was using him as much as he was using her, but Michael could only hate Nyanta and admire Purrcy.

"Did you believe you were above being influenced emotionally and chemically by the AIs?" The voice was cool.

"Apparently," he answered without moving. "Can I kill them yet?"

There was a snort. "Where's your weapon?"

"Not in my hand for another few months, but it's a lot closer than it was. He says I get to take most, if not all of you." It did help to be reminded that the goal in this same play for the AIs was to make such emotional attachments even if the Adventurers didn't want them to begin with. He could channel some of his anger at them into fighting it and pushing it back so he could be cool again.

And he'd better before he turned around or they'd kill him. That rule number one was death to break since if the one who broke it wasn't taken out immediately, the rest would die. _Not Purrcy!_  A traitorous thought that was flamed and squashed. Purrcy had even told him that she'd kill him - or die herself - if the wall of distrust didn't stay up between them. What was it she'd said? If he was taken and tortured, he was only to say....

"I swear she's just a princess, not the daughter of a corporate president. I don't have anything to do with her. I'm just the bodyguard. They won't pay a ransom for me, so you can just kill me if it floats your boat. They're going to have a large multi-million-dollar wedding when they get back just to make the folks happy." For the next twenty minutes they beat him and he didn't fight back and he stuck to his story until he had it memorized in his flayed body and his head and made it stick in his heart.

When they believed he had it, could say they believed him, they backed off, but they watched him. They were going to watch him from now on. They'd probably have to do it again down the line and he'd be paranoid, but it would get him - and all of them - through to the end. A walk through hell, but to the end so the goal was met.

"When are you allowed to love her?" It was a test, but Michael's hand was at the throat of the one who asked and had him on his back.

"No one loves her," he hissed. "Not me, not you, not a damn creature on this planet. Not her husband, barely her kids and not even them. To love her is death and poison and everyone knows it. Use her to pull yourself up to get back on the hike, just like everyone else does, but let her go or you'll get pulled in, too.

"We're already going to lose Gareth and I'ma gonna cry she took my best wingman, then cut her in two for doing it. At least he's pasted to Tetorō now. That might save him." He pushed off the body below him hard to standing and glared around at the rest of them.

This time when they came at him, he hit back until they were rags on the ground and in the trees. The exercise helped him to calm down again and he was back to cool with a cold heart and a mission to fulfill...and maybe they'd had it beat out of them, too. They all needed it and all for the same reason. They'd all gotten too complacent.

They'd have to beat up the rest when they got back together, but this was a good start. Michael slumped to the ground and rested his arms on his raised knees. "Give me fifteen." He dropped to his back and closed his eyes. Right now a power nap was the proper thing to do.

-:-:-:-:-

Tetorō was having troubles being patient. At the same time, he really didn't want to die. That would be just as painful. He was just starting to get broody when Gareth sat him down and pulled out a deck of cards. "First game to play is Go Fish. If you can't play that child's game you can't play anything at all. Then you teach me the most basic card game of Japan."

Gareth shuffled the deck and dealt seven cards to each of them, then spread the rest of the deck out on the ground between them. He calmly explained the rules of the game and they got started. It was mindless enough after getting the point that Tetorō was able to let the cards in his hand soothe him. He was pleased when he won.

The game he taught Gareth was Rich Man, Poor Man. It was the most popular group game of cards and hard to play with just two, since you really needed at least the rich man, the poor man and preferably at least two in between, though you could get by with one. Still, Tetorō got the point of the game across and won two rounds, then Gareth won one and they called it.

Gareth smoothly moved on to Gin and Tetorō somewhat reluctantly moved on to his second when Purrcy still wasn't free yet. "Compai!" Tetorō called when he won at the end and they moved on to the next American card game. They played until Tetorō couldn't think of any other card games.

Gareth took one more turn to teach, then picked up the cards at the end, having stomped Tetorō since it was a complicated game for him, shuffled them several times keeping his hands busy a little longer, then dealt a game of solitaire. Tetorō made suggestions and comments over Gareth's shoulder until they won the game together. Then they switched and Tetorō dealt his hand and Gareth commented and kibitzed.

At some point, Tetorō asked casually, "Where'd you get a deck of cards in this place?"

Gareth pointed out two more possible moves before answering. He finally said, "Special run in the States. In the west, they have a lot of old-time western themed things and poker in the saloon is one of them. I picked them up on a buy so I could play, though I'm really terrible with poker."

"In what way? You did well just now."

"I always win. I can feel the cards, even online. And online a poker face is easy - no one's looking at you. I got thrown out eventually for cheating, something about throwing the game and knowing what the random generator was going to pop out before it did, but it was just intuition."

Tetorō looked at him, then nodded. "The random number generators always seed badly - that is with the same few numbers over and over so you can calculate it, so I can see why they'd think that...but I believe you."

He moved the next set of cards around on the board and played the next hand. "I code like that, too. My professors couldn't understand why my code worked and I couldn't explain it. I love coding here. It's so smooth and like swimming in bathwater, but at the same time I can sink my teeth into it and really understand it - how it works and why, why another Programmer or Hacker wrote it this way or that and how I could modify it. I'd swim a lot more, but I like people, too."

Gareth was silent for a while, then asked, "Do you?"

Tetorō didn't look up. He couldn't lie to Gareth. That was part of his intuition, too. "Well, okay. I like to be the center of attention. Code doesn't fill that need much unless a flashy spell just went off and everyone knows it was yours."

Gareth's hand was light on Tetorō's, stopping it just as he lay the next hand down. "Say the truth, Tetorō." When Tetorō jerked, Gareth's hand grabbed him to hold him still. Tetorō's eyes rose to look angrily into Gareth's. Gareth looked back calmly, without judgment, without relenting either.

Tetorō's fear came back, but it wasn't really a fear of the man with him. It was the general fear he had when he had to face the real him. "I can't," he whispered. He stared into the eyes on the other side until they let him go and the hand released him. He tried very hard to not regret it.

"Tetorō!" He looked up quickly into the scolding face and was surprised to see it. "Look here! --No. Don't look. Play the game." Tetorō looked back down at the cards. " _Listen_. Listen to my words." Tetorō nodded and placed the top card in his hand.

"We're Americans. We don't care. Male, female, rich, poor, black, white, Latino, Jap - we - don't - care." Gareth let that have time to sink in. "If you want to be female, be female. If you want to be male, be male. If you want to be both or all of them mixed in a bucket, do it. We. Don't. Care. But man, you can go toe to toe with anyone you feel needs it and you won't back down. That's guts.

"You can grab hold of Hahaue and drag her behind you kicking, screaming, and crying and not let go and then in the next breath be swinging in the breeze behind her as she goes running off wild and still not let go. That is strength like I've never seen before.

"In an instant you can put on a face, play it to the hilt, and demand that you were born that way. That is _awesome_!" Tetorō couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself. Even he knew he could do those things well.

"But Tetorō," Gareth's voice dropped and he paid close attention with his ears, though his eyes were still playing the game in front of him, "everybody's got a weakness they're hiding deep inside, protecting it in the dark away from the eyes of anyone. We've all got one and it's a weakness that when the world presses down on us too hard begins to crack and our foundation gets shaky. _That's_  what I want you to look at and tell me. What's in that place, Tetorō? ...Honestly."

Tetorō was standing at the edge of that place of darkness and he looked up at Gareth and said coldly, "Hate. Hatred. I hate everyone and everything and I was taught to do it by my father, every time he bothered to come home. When I was four my mother was playing with me and thought it would be a fun game to dress me up.

"When my father got home and saw me in a little girl's dress and my mother smiled at him, inviting him to enjoy the game with us, he slapped her, tore the dress off me, made her put me in boys clothing and scolded us both for two hours before sending us to bed with no dinner.

"For the rest of my life, when my father came home it was to be fed by a quiet and timid wife and then to spend the rest of the evening lecturing me with cold words or silence while I stood on the wall and had to take it or receive physical punishment. I learned to play his game and I learned to hate him and because he hated me I learned to hate everyone.

"People were to use and abuse and educate, but they weren't worthy of my consideration. I learned to play whatever needed playing to get what I wanted. I learned from my own father's lips how to cut down others and put them in their place. And because I was still going to do whatever I wanted when he wasn't home, I learned how to educate without anyone knowing they were getting an education.

"I couldn't look beautiful in front of him, but I looked beautiful all day, and it didn't matter if it was girl's clothes or boy's, only that I was beautiful. When I was older, and his anger and fear made him even more toxic, I learned to sneak out of the house after he wasn't paying attention to me and live my own way - usually by heading to the arcade and shooting the first person shooters and he was every enemy on the screen.

"And then he decided I was old enough to need a computer. When I asked him if I could pay to play _Elder Tales_ , he agreed - MMORPGs are played by boys not girls. And I got my ultimate revenge. I created a beautiful female and played as that, and he wasn't going to ever find out or make me stop."

"Why a healer?" Gareth interjected, puzzled.

"Because girls don't fight. Girls heal."

Gareth raised an eyebrow. "Rieze."

Tetorō shook his head. "She's doing what I was doing and most of them are. Crying out against a society that doesn't allow girls to be strong without punishment." Gareth nodded. He could understand that.

"Why guild, then, if you hate everyone?"

Tetorō looked back down at his hand, but didn't play the next move. "When we came here, we had the struggle at the beginning. It took me a while, but I came around to deciding that it didn't matter what I looked like, it mattered that I was going to be what I wanted to be and do whatever I wanted to do, just like I already had been doing up until then. Educate harshly anyone who thought I really was a girl, use anyone I needed to use to get where and what I wanted, fight whatever needed fighting.

"Then Naotsugu showed up in Susukino and ticked me off, pushing almost all my buttons, so I clung on to him and wouldn't let him go, determined to give him a full education and take everything I wanted as I did it. But when we failed, and everyone died, William got up and said that he wasn't going to let that make him turn around and walk away. He wasn't going to change what and who he was just because some dungeon said he'd failed once, and he wasn't going to let anyone who wanted what he wanted say they were going to as well, not if they believed like he did, that what one was should be fought for. I felt his words deeply. They were my words."

Tetorō thumbed the cards in his hand. "And then Shiroe stood up and apologized, saying that we'd failed because he hadn't really told us what the real goal was. It wasn't get to the boss and kill it and just finish another raid. It was that _he_  - one person only - had to get to the final boss because he had been told by the Cunie he couldn't achieve his goal if he didn't. And he told us what that goal was.

"When he did that, everyone had this attitude of, 'Oh, we can do that. It's just one guy that has to get there. We can distract the rest until you get that done, sure.' It suddenly became simple. It still wasn't easy. We were all pasted to the ground by the time it was done, both those still in the room with five HP and those who'd KOd and gone to the entrance. But we'd won, nonetheless."

Tetorō was silent for a moment, but Gareth waited patiently. "When it was all done and it was time to go home, I could have stayed there. I could have followed William. He understood. But Shiroe had woken something up in me I'd forgotten: that I wanted to know how to win regardless of the odds.

"I learned from him that we can bumble around, be an air head, but when it came down to the wire, if we've put in our heavy thought and strenuous effort and planned it right, we couldn't lose. That the world would step out of the way and bow and hand it over. I was already that, but he was it refined and perfected, and I wanted to do that, too.

"I put my effort into helping him win every time because I want that win - to never fail." He set his jaw and swallowed. His pride in their ability to do that as a guild had overwhelmed him again just thinking about it.

When he recovered he said, "And there was Naotsugu. He had something I wanted, too. He was himself, without apology, without effort. I was deeply jealous of it, but I also wanted to understand it. Just being around him calmed me like nothing ever had. He's a steady base, unwavering, kind but not soft and a delight to tease and aggravate.

"He gave me everything I needed at the time and I took it and went with them when they returned to Akiba. I was nervous about meeting the rest and afraid they'd all send me packing...but they didn't, and I could see most of them knew exactly what I was and what kind of person just by looking at me - and they didn't care. They welcomed me in just the same."

Tetorō shook his head. "The younger four taught me to relax and that it was okay to have fun while walking through life and the other two taught me what I wanted to get from them, and then Akatsuki and Nyanta started teaching me what was inside me that needed changing.

"Akatsuki was focused and mostly on what she could do to improve - constantly, quietly, without asking for fanfare - and that motivated me. Nyanta was like my dad - mostly not present and quiet - but he was always there in the morning and the evening, present without being present.

"When he started opening his mouth to correct me, it was with a quiet, simple comment that I was then left to consider on my own. When I had to finally agree with him, I had Akatsuki's example for how to go about working on it, and the rest of them to see that I followed through when they saw I was trying."

Tetorō looked away. "Things were good, but it wasn't enough. I discovered there was something they couldn't help me with and I didn't know how to fix it myself. I'd made mistakes when I first joined up with them, and I couldn't go back and change them and I didn't know how. I had become the fly in the soup, but I didn't want to just give up and walk away from them. That was completely counter to what I was trying to learn from Shiroe. I was stuck."

He looked at Gareth. "And then Purrcy walked into the guild all on her own and turned it upside down, all seemingly by accident. I hated her the moment I laid eyes on her. I knew she was trouble and she was going to do things to us we wouldn't - _I_  wouldn't like." Tetorō put the cards on the ground and sat up straight, looked directly at Gareth and said, "And then she gave me everything I was going to take from her."

Gareth looked back soberly, listening properly. "I tease and I test everyone. If they can't take it, they get more until I win. The first thing I was going to test her with was completely improper and she offered it to me straight up and I didn't know how to take it.

"From then on she was always one step ahead of me, even to scolding me properly so that I could fix what I hadn't been able to fix for months. By the time we were fighting the Plague Master, and even before then, the tables had been turned on me and I was eating out of her hand instead of making her dance to mine. I can't say that I haven't hated it. I have."

He slowed down and paused, looking down at the ground between them. "But I've also needed it and the guild has needed it, and in the end, this entire world needs it - what she gives, and even what she takes."

His face twisted. "It hurts like hell, a lot of the time, and I hate it a lot of the time, too, but...," the tears threatened to fall again, "...I can't let go anymore. I'm as desperate as she is. We have to win and she's going to see that we do. She's going to give to Shiroe exactly what he needs and I've already promised him over and over that I'll do my part to see that failure isn't an option. I've promised it to myself. So now I can't let go or I'll tear that and me to shreds...."

When he looked back up at Gareth, he knew death rode in his eyes. "I hate this Nyanta. This Nyanta wants to see her fail, wants to tear us apart, wants to see Shiroe writhing on the ground weeping and begging for forgiveness for even trying to win. _This_  Nyanta is like my father, and I can only hate it. I want to rescue Hahaue from him like I could never rescue my own mother, and I'm deathly afraid for her because if he tears her apart like my father did my mother, then we lose."

Gareth drew a breath but Tetorō wasn't looking at him and wasn't finished. "He won't. She won't let him because she's like me - hates everyone, uses them because she can, plays her parts without flinching or flaw. In this, we are allies and I can trust her to not fail and if she weakens, she knows she's to turn to me to see that she gets back up on her feet again."

Tetorō looked at Gareth lightly with a toss of his head. "You shouldn't worry, though. We're both honest, too. It's easier to play the parts when you're showing the real you most of the time." Tetorō played the last card to win the game. "So now that you know, what are you going to do about it?" he gave the challenge.

Gareth looked at him for a while, then shrugged. "Nothing. Welcome to the resistance."

Tetorō nodded. "Keep working hard. Maybe I'll accept the lot of you some day."

"Not like we care," Gareth answered back. Slowly, they both smiled.

-:-:-:-:-

The barbecue party on the beach that night was a farce for all of Log Horizon, but they were used to playing parts and wearing the proper faces by now. Nyanta, Purrcy, Minori, and Touya all cooked and the Eagles who enjoyed barbecuing took their turns, though there were never as many Eagles on the beach as were in the area at one time. The rest of the guild noted it and didn't comment.

Michael was gone for most of the time, but did eventually show up to claim his own food and sit with Reed and Gareth to chat. When Tetorō joined them, sitting between Michael and Gareth, Naotsugu did eventually go and sit with them as well, just as a check up on the mood and direction. They welcomed him easily and soon they were in heated discussions.

Since no one else wanted to hear anything about women's intimate clothing, they stayed away. The conversation did draw enough others from the raid parties as a whole that eventually Nyanta stalked off in disgust, taking Purrcy with him. Brenner, Isuzu, and Rudy went with and they found a quiet part of the beach to sit and enjoy the surf, sand, and just-rising moon.

Shiroe, followed by his shadow, did go stand on the fringe of the discussion long enough to watch his guild members in the center and determine where they stood. He'd learned to read them all, the minute signs that told him what they wanted and how they were feeling and thinking. He sighed, but it was about right for the evening. Things would shake down on the trip over the ocean and they'd be back to working together again by the time they were in China, today's exposed hidden darknesses covered up again to obtain the common goal. It was the best he could ask for and all he really wanted anyway.

When he was done, he held out his hand for Akatsuki's and it was there. He held it tightly for a moment, then relaxed and turned them towards the other group. As they passed Purrcy's grill, he said kindly, "You guys can be done now. It's our turn to rest."

The twins looked at each other, then nodded. They finished up their work and Touya trotted over to join the group of rowdy men, but he was going to fetch the others, to let them know it was time to work their way out of the conversation. They'd come when they could.

Minori wiped her hands on her apron one last time and followed along with Shiroe and Akatsuki. "Um...," she began, then looked away.

"We haven't," Shiroe said calmly, "and I won't - with anyone."

Minori's shoulders slumped in relief. "I'm sorry," she said sadly, and they could tell she meant it, just as they knew it was hard for her at the same time.

"Thanks," Shiroe said. "It's temporary anyway. When it's over then we can all decide how we want to live." That finally got Minori's chin up and a nod of determination once she'd internalized it. That helped both of the older two settle as well. Shiroe sighed, then complained slightly. "Whoever knew we'd have to worry about such heavy topics when it was supposed to be a game to distract us from such things to begin with?" He looked out over the sea. "Though...."

Minori looked up at him and smiled. "...You had been anyway."

He looked at her with a bit of a smile. "Yes, sadly. I had been anyway. Someday, I'd like to go back to just playing again, I think."

Akatsuki looked up at him. "You do."

He looked at her then had to give in. He couldn't win against both of them. He let go of Akatsuki's hand and reached up in a stretch, then scratched the back of his head. In a mock self-scold, he complained, "Right. I do. I do have way too much fun doing this. I have too much fun showing off that I'm intelligent and can think circles around anyone and beat my head on my desk until it's bloody and send my friends into the thick of the battle to be smashed to smithereens only to see them come back smiling and asking for more."

He dropped his arms and slumped, then whined loudly, "Come on guys! Give it a rest! Complain at me more sometimes!"

"Fine," said about eight voices around him since they'd all caught up to him and they'd reached the rest of the group already gathered in the quiet. And that was followed by about twenty complaints all said at once drawing a smile from him.

Shiroe dropped to the ground, then pulled Akatsuki into his lap, grabbed Minori's hand on her way past and made her sit next to him which made Touya sit next to her. Naotsugu sat next to Shiroe on the other side and Shiroe sighed, then realized Akatsuki was sitting ramrod straight and stricken. He patted her on the head. "Give it up. Tonight we just need to relax." He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on top of her head and she finally relented and relaxed back into his chest which helped him relax more himself.

He sighed. "Really, guys, I am sorry. You're doing an awesome job and I really appreciate all the hard work. Everything is on course and moving forward, even with the bumps in the road and the major potholes we keep hitting." He looked around at the group they'd just joined in with to make sure they were where they were supposed to be, too - and they were. He nodded. "Yeah. We're good."

"Glad you can see it from where you are, Mister Giant," Tetorō said sarcastically.

Shiroe smiled at him. "Glad you're having fun, Tetorō, getting to be yourself finally."

Tetorō blinked at him then rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "If you say so."

Minori giggled but Tetorō didn't scowl at her. Instead he looked over to Nyanta. "Give it up already. It's my turn or I'll have to beat you to a crisp to knock the attitude out of you."

Nyanta looked back calmly. "Feel free anytime, nyan." His ear flicked from Purrcy to Tetorō and Purrcy was immediately kitten and stumbling across the circle in the sand to get to Tetorō.

Isuzu picked her up, got in a cuddle first, and passed her on. That meant everyone on the way got a cuddle, purr, and lick, and she was passed beyond Tetorō so that he complained loudly. They kept teasing him until they'd all gotten their fix and she was finally passed back to him.

She wrapped around his neck and purred in his ear, then climbed down his chest as he reached up to pet her. She teased him a little longer, hiding from his hands and climbing all over him until he finally captured her, not very gently, and she relented and increased in size enough to sit in his lap so he could pet her properly.

She gave a yawn to stretch her mouth and shook herself, then settled and said, "It doesn't matter, but I'm proud of all of you, too. Thank you for your hard work. It gets worse later on, but this is the worst it has to be for now and for a while. Relaxing now is good. It's going to be a busy month coming up next. ...And I'm going to miss all of you after that."

"Only after you've recovered from being with too many people again," Touya corrected her. An ear turn of acknowledgement went his way.

"Actually, mew're going to enjoy the peace and quiet rather a lot, aren't mew?" Nyanta asked quietly. The rest of them sobered and looked at her.

Purrcy was quiet. "Maybe," she finally said. "I really do enjoy getting to play with all of you, as hard as it is on us all. The tempo is fast and the results earned are...well, delicious is the only word I can come up with. I do need, or will by the time we're done, the down time." She lifted her head for the scratching Tetorō was giving it, her eyes closing halfway.

When he brushed her fur down to the back, she looked back at the rest of them. "But I'm going to be going a long ways away this time, and probably for longer than I'm going to want to be gone. It's going to be lonely and hard after getting used to being with all of you, but I'll be learning things I'm looking forward to learn and you'll not be pleased to see me again in the end when I do get back, since you're all supposed to hate me by then - or what I'll have become anyway.

"I _would_  appreciate it if you didn't really hate the real me too much so you'll at least say goodbye when you go. I'd rather not part on bad feelings, if it's possible." She gave her cat shrug. "But you can hate me all you want until then. That would be good."

Shiroe scowled. "You know that's the part I like least about this."

Purrcy looked at him and gave her cat smile and a little lift of her tail. "Yes, I know, but that's what I'm here for - motivation."

"Love's a motivator, too," he complained.

"Yes, and because it motivates you to take care of me we can win this. But the hatred of the unseen and the unknown but suspected isn't strong enough. The hatred of the seeable and touchable is focused and directable, even when it's vicarious. Because everyone already holds the first inside them, it's imperative to turn it the way it needs to go. ...You know this already, too."

Shiroe slumped. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean I need to like it."

"No, you don't. It's the driving force for your own anger. Don't bother to let it go until we're done." She licked her leg to scratch an itch on it, casual in her response.

Shiroe reached over and flicked her ear with his finger. "Fine, but don't give up or I will be angry."

She snapped at his finger with her teeth and he moved it. "I won't," she answered softly. "I'll even try to continue to direct the hatred where it's needed most. It's just the lot of you that need the proper focus."

"We're not killing you," Shiroe said firmly.

"Oh, yes you are," she answered back smoothly, "or you've already failed. You're forgetting in the immediate moment. Have you already relaxed too much?"

Shiroe had been slapped and he felt it. He turned away from her, hating even that. "Fine. We'll kill you, then we'll go on to win like you're determined to force us to anyway. But I get my drop. You can't take that away from me."

"Get it if you can," she taunted him. He looked back at her and glared. She lolled a tongue at him and rolled her head sideways until she was looking at him nearly upside down. Tetorō rolled her body over to match and rubbed her tummy, punishing her back. She grabbed at his hand with all four sets of claws, and gave a bite, then gave up and licked his hand, grooming it, done with her say.

Shiroe sighed and looked down at Akatsuki, wanting to roll her over and rub her tummy, too. He growled in her ear and complained again. "I wish we could do whatever we wanted and take it all. Having to move to the beat of another drummer - having to have a boss to fight against...I suppose is what it's all about, but I really do prefer to dance the way I want to dance."

He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath through his nose, smelling the scent that was Akatsuki. She was indeed going to go into the equivalent of heat soon and he was going to not want to fight it at the same time as he was furious at the world AIs and refused to budge to walk to their beat. He held her tightly, knowing it was going to be the last time he could cuddle with her for a long time.

They sat quietly, enjoying the peace and camaraderie that was the guild Log Horizon. The fireworks started down the beach by the Sorcerers and a few Summoners that had Air Salamanders and other fire and light Summons that were happy to come play. When those were done, small quiet conversations rose and fell until Isuzu finally pulled out her lute and tuned it.

Isuzu's fingers danced through the Theldesia twenty-four, then through favorites from Japan, and just for Purrcy, some of the oldies but goodies from the States and Great Britain. The Eagles joined in on a lot of those, singing along, surprising the guild a little.

Purrcy sat and listened to those, entranced, until she was shivering with tears. Michael reached over and picked her up then and held her to his chest, petting her. "We'll sing for you again before we go home," he told her. "Record it so you'll remember."

Her nose buried in his arm, she nodded. "I'll hold you to keeping that promise, Michael - all of you." He patted her head, then continued to slowly pet her until her shivers had calmed and she was nearly asleep.

Michael rose and handed her back to Nyanta. "Take care of her properly, Nyanta," he said. They looked at each other soberly. "And keep her close so I don't have to kill her just for walking away from you."

"I understand," Nyanta said with an irritated flick of his ear, though they could tell he was trying to repress it.

Michael looked at him a little more then walked back to his place next to Tetorō. He sat down with a little sigh and leaned back to look up at the sky. "She really shouldn't have shown us that particular weakness, I think."

Shiroe snorted a laugh. "And she's as naive as that? You know what she is, Michael."

Michael looked at him and glowered, then swore softly. "Fine. I don't like it, that it's that, but we'll use it anyway." He looked back at the sky. "She's too damn much of a patriot. It makes it hard to fly against her when she pulls that card. Hard, but not impossible."

They sat silent again for a while until Tetorō shifted to lean against Naotsugu and put his legs across Michael's where they were stretched out in front of the Monk. Tetorō pulled out a candy to suck on as he considered Michael next to him. "You gonna be able to hold out?" he asked casually.

"Yeah," Michael said. "Me and the boys had it out this afternoon and we're good. We've always got each other's backs. That's what being a squadron is all about you know. Anyone looks weak and we push them back up again. It's live together, fall together and none of us are willing to fall or let anyone else make us get there. Just like you guys. It's a good match. We'll play our part right. She'll kick me to the moon and back if we don't - same as Shiroe would you guys. I know where we stand."

"Good," Tetorō said, looking down evilly so no one had to carry it but him. "Get in a few for me, then, when you get there. I'm going to hate the next round after this. More than I hate my father I suspect."

Naotsugu patted him on the head. "We have faith in you, though. You'll pull through in the end and we're here to catch you on the release."

"Yeah, and you'd better follow through, too, or I'll haunt the lot of you for the rest of my undead life. ...And I know how to make life really miserable."

Naotsugu snorted a laugh. "Yeah, tell me about it." That started a fight between them, but it didn't last long, with Michael finally putting his hand firmly on Tetorō, pinning him to the sand until he held still.

"I'll be there as long as I can," Michael told Tetorō. "We've got your back, too. We know what she is, but we know what you are, too. Don't worry quite so much, and like Shiroe has to be reminded all the time, don't forget to come our way and demand it when you need it."

Tetorō was curled up next to Michael suddenly, batting his eyes. "Really, Michael? I can count on you?"

Michael grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and growled at him, but somehow, in the end, Michael was leaning his back against Naotsugu's shoulder and Tetorō was curled up in Michael's lap, leaning against one raised knee, his head on Michael's chest, encircled by his arms just enough to be a comforting protection. Naotsugu leaned over to look over Michael's shoulder at Tetorō then back at Michael. He nodded. "See it stays that way. I'm going to have my own hands full."

"I know it," Michael said. "Sit still and be my tank for two minutes, though. My op's going to be missing for a while, too. ...And that's the worst thing about that level. Most of us are going to be split and alone. She's the only solo in the guild so can handle it."

Shiroe nodded. "Indeed. That is going to be the hardest part." He held Akatsuki a little closer and she put her hand on his arm to give him a little more comfort. Minori put her hand on Shiroe's knee and he looked over at her, then sadly shook his head at her. She looked sad, but gave a nod. She wouldn't be allowed to do it either.

It would have to be Naotsugu holding him up alone. Naotsugu would likely end up leaning on Marielle a lot. Probably they couldn't stay apart like they probably should. If Shiroe could, he would protect them and he would count on Purrcy to keep her word to the same. Likely she understood it already - that Naotsugu would need Marie that way and would fight the same, to see they could stand so Shiroe could stand.

He sighed, then started to hum. He didn't do it often, but tonight it seemed like a good time to. Akatsuki joined in with the words and then the others did, too, though the Americans just sat and listened, not knowing it. Naotsugu took the next song and they all listened to the tank that was their castle of stone hold them steady one last time as a full guild.

Shiroe sincerely hoped they could have one more night like this before they left China. Once they got back home would be nice, too, but it wouldn't happen. By then they'd be fracturing. He leaned his head on Naotsugu's shoulder and got a pat on the head for it, too, but he was allowed to stay.

They all fell asleep there for the night, curled up and cuddled up together, needing the close comfort and not able to move anyway, just too tired from the long uphill fight it had already been. The first rooms were completed - the side quests they could do to this point. They were healing up for the big room with more monsters in it than they could comprehend. But they were going to take in help for that room, so it wasn't all bad.

It was the knowing that they were going to lose half of them to slide down the sluice into the next level as soon as the fifth level boss was defeated that was hard. The rest of them would have to climb down the cliff face to get to them and then they'd be fighting each other, too, not just the enemy. That was always a harsh dungeon floor to exit out of safely.

-:-:-:-:-

The next morning Isaac woke Shiroe up with a shake of his shoulder. "Time to get moving, as much as I hate to wake you all up. You all looked pretty wasted by the end of the day. Was it enough?" His eyes held knowing and compassion.

Shiroe blinked up at Isaac from his sleeping position on the ground. "Well, I'd rather not have to move for another day or two but we'll be good once we get going again. Having to focus on survival pulls us back together again and is helpful."

Isaac didn't let him go at just that. "I get that the next part's just swinging swords and calling out plays. I want to know you're going to survive after that, and if you start to go down, that you're going to call for the life guards. Don't go drowning when you've got others here waiting to throw you the life preserver."

Shiroe looked back at him soberly. "Fine. We'll call you in." He looked around him to find Akatsuki. She had her head on his stomach and had been sleeping, but now her eyes were open and looking at him. "If you see me going to Cathedral in the next level, call in Isaac and whoever else needs to come. They'll know." She nodded.

Shiroe looked back at Isaac. "I can't have Akatsuki as my op this next round. I'll be leaning heavily on Naotsugu and he'll be leaning on Marielle. Keep them propped up and going. Same for the juniors. They'll be carrying a lot without a lot of action to keep them from popping. Find people for them to spout off, to."

He looked back at Akatsuki with a frown, then looked for Naotsugu. He was just yawning himself awake. "Is Marie aware enough to keep the juniors going if they need the push?"

Naotsugu nodded and so did Akatsuki on his stomach. "Yeah. She's already stepped in that way the last round," Naotsugu reassured Shiroe. "They know to go over there when it's more than they can take."

Shiroe looked back at Akatsuki, with just a touch of desperation, truth be told. "Make sure you do that, too. I'm counting on you, even if I can't be what I want to be for a time and can't touch. You'll have to be the one to make yourself scarce and keep Minori away, too. I'm going to be so focused I won't even know until it's too late most of the time, particularly as we get deeper into it." Akatsuki sat up and nodded soberly at him "Not that you have to stay away completely, but we can't touch and you have to leave when it gets too hard to fight it."

Shiroe sat up then and looked at her sternly. "And you can't go looking for someone else or I _will_  have to come find you and that won't be pretty, or easy since I'll definitely lose then, just to keep you."

Akatsuki looked at him with wide eyes, then exploded in a blush. Shiroe nodded. She'd understood. He held out his hand to her and she slowly put hers into it. He pulled her until he could kiss one last kiss that he let linger, then he let her go and rose to his feet.

He finally looked back at Isaac. "And that's where we stand at the beginning of that next round. Divided, Isaac. I hate it and am angrier than I've ever been because of it. Let me come beat up on you every once in a while."

"You've got it," Isaac said calmly. "Anything to keep the lot of you going, but you in particular. They'll come back to you as long as you're still standing."

"I know, but that doesn't make it any better."

"...No," Isaac agreed. He went around to shake the rest awake that needed it and Log Horizon stood on its feet again and got moving forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While this chapter isn't the only one that more directly and openly explains what is going on behind the scenes in Purrcy's dungeon, it *is* the most important one, where almost everything is open and exposed, rather than hidden, couched, or left as a breadcrumb-clue. Please remember that character's points of view are their own, though, and *Shiroe* is the Master Strategist.
> 
> If you haven't been recognizing who the Nyanta of this work is, this chapter explains it. (Really, some people just can't get that he is two beings in one unless I spell it out. The Nyanta you and Tetoro-o hate is Izanagi, the World AI. The Nyanta that cares about his guild and others who are trying hard is the one being pushed to the background and who everyone is trying to support in this chapter.) If you've been confused by other pieces of the story that have seemed odd, this chapter points to the answers, even if some of them are still to be fully revealed.
> 
> If you have to, now that you've read this chapter, re-read it until you understand it, then go back and read the whole story again until this point (both linked works), looking for the other times that the answers to clues were exposed, and you should be able to put it all together clearly. We will be using that understanding from this point on as Log Horizon gets very serious about winning this dungeon.
> 
> This chapter ends the third sub-arc of the third arc of Purrcy's story (Dungeon Level 5). The remainder of this work in the linked works is the final and fourth sub-arc of Level 5 as they now turn to working in China.
> 
> Thank you for reading with me until this time. Please continue to enjoy the many more chapters of fun, stress, romance, and dungeoning adventures to come! -JR


	48. Fifth Floor: Sea Voyage to China

"Goddammit! How many times I gotta tell you starboard is _right_! Port is left!" Michael's voice was completely frustrated.

Purrcy looked out over the ship as a whole from the steerage deck of the Ocypete. The numbers of sea monsters had reached nine with this attack. She turned her head slightly and said, "Priest Nyanta, get rid of them. At this point they are learning nothing. It is time to allow them proper rest and recovery."

He raised a hand and she glared at him, her whiskers and black ears stiffening in a scold. He sighed and rolled his green eyes. "Really?"

"Yes." The calico felinoid gave no quarter.

Nyanta closed his eyes, then clapped his hands twice, bowed, and clapped again. Leaving his hands together in front of him, a flowery prayer for intercession rolled off his tongue. It rolled over the entire deck of the ship, although it wasn't particularly said loudly.

There was a pause to everything, then the sea monsters disappeared in bubbles, the light plinking of gold and other treasures dropping to the surface of the ship under where they'd been. The fighters on the deck collapsed where they stood and swore or passed out, depending on their temperaments.

"Now bless the voyage," she demanded. Nyanta took a breath, let out one impatient lash of his grey tail and began another prayer. The clouds above the ship disbursed and the sun shone sparkling on the ocean and the wind died down to a nice breeze.

" _Sht!_ " came from the upper deck below them. They both looked over the railing. "Do that sooner, idjits!" Nakalnad yelled up at them, letting out his own frustration. "No need to smash everyone to death over nothing!"

"It is sufficient," Purrcy said calmly at him. "Priest Nyanta has blessed the remainder of the voyage, ...assuming everyone remembers the lessons."

Nakalnad glared at her then threw some choice swear words at her. Isaac put his hand on Nakalnad's shoulder, giving him a calming look, then looked back up at the pair. "Are you going to get to do that for the real thing, too?"

"Only once," Purrcy answered back. "Use your miracle wisely." Both men, and Nyanta, sighed in resignation.

"I trust you'll let me decide when and for what, then?" Shiroe said calmly and softly from behind them.

"Of course," Purrcy answered, "though you should work that out with the Generals. They look mad enough to use it whenever they want at this point."

"Thank you," Shiroe almost couldn't keep the venom out this time. "And I thought you were going to keep the in-fighting until the next level."

"I never said, nor promised it," Purrcy said coolly. Shiroe glared at her with his sharp eyes through his round glasses. Her tail turned in the gesture that both apologized and at the same time said nothing but turned control back over to him.

"Everyone, please take your time to rest and recover," Shiroe said, using his magic volume-enhanced voice this time, moving up to the railing to be seen and heard. "We apologize for the rough time until now. Thank you for your hard work."

He turned back to the felinoid pair. "Nyanta you will let her go with her guards to your room. I need to speak with you." He didn't back down from that either and Nyanta worked hard to let her leave with Tetorō and the three Eagles assigned for the day. "Izanagi, why do you willingly play to Izanami's requirements in this game?"

"In order to gain what I want." As Shiroe suspected. The one who'd been playing the priest was actually Izanagi, not Nyanta. Izanagi was the one with the practice to offer prayers like that.

"But why at this point, when we're just practicing? Can't you wait until we're there? I'd really rather not have the interference at this level from either one of you."

"There can't be failure."

Shiroe lost it just ever so slightly. " _You_  dragged us here to Theldesia because we were the only ones capable of making your repairs from the beginning. _I_ have won victory for every battle I've been in. Get out of my sphere of influence. You are both making it worse because you don't understand the minds and hearts of Adventurers.

"It will fail because _you_  will insist on interfering. She knows to watch and let us do what we do best. Get out and wait for Nyanta to pray for what we need. Only then do I want any interference from you and only for what's asked for. If you wanted to just kill the Overwritten and be done so there wasn't the chance of failure then go do it and we'll show up when we show up and make the repairs, although you can do that without us, too.

"If Izanami's requirement to you is that this be run as a game so that you can get what you want, then go away and let us play it as a game. If you're going to fight Izanami about it, go back up into the upper levels where you won't harm the world and fight it out up there.

"We don't care, and when it's forced it isn't fun and we will fight to not have to do it. I made that perfectly clear at the Higan Special. We want the Overwritten dead, too, but it's because they make the play drudgery and we want them out of the way. We feel the same about both of you." He could feel the sparks spitting from his body and if they were real, he was firmly sending them all at Inari.

When Nyanta finally slumped, Shiroe turned away. "Carry him to his bed. Purrcy can care for him and Izanami can pay the price he makes her pay. I don't want to see either one for a full day."

The present Eagles on watch over Nyanta half-saluted and carried him off. Shiroe looked down over the railing. Isaac turned to look up at him. "I'll meet you all in the war room," he said down to them, "after I've cooled off a little." Isaac nodded and Nakalnad shifted, though he didn't bother to look up. He was still too mad himself.

Fifteen minutes later Shiroe was in the war room with the generals. Maverick_Master's group was small enough they'd been swallowed up with the rest, particularly since the Nakasu group had joined them, but he and Brody still came to these meetings. It helped for them to know what the plans were and the rest wanted them to feel included and to honor their positions in their locations. Maverick_Master wasn't William, but he still had pull and clout in Susukino.

"Michael, is it enough or do you need extra side practice?" Shiroe asked him first, since he'd been the most frustrated at the end.

Michael shrugged and ran a hand through his hair. "I think the break needs to happen first. We'll have time to shake it down in the dungeon proper anyway. The main problem is it's too fast paced on a postage stamp. We won't be moving in a strange environment there, so that variable will be removed and things will be easier." He gave a dry glare. "Even if there are more monsters per room than allow us to even get in the door."

Shiroe understood and nodded. He let Nakalnad go next to let him finish getting his frustrations off his chest. When Nakalnad wound down, Shiroe let it get quiet for a bit, then he said, "Okay. After today, I need to let you know what's driving this. I'm not going to keep that to myself anymore. I refuse to protect them any longer.

"Purrcy and Nyanta have been taken over by the gods of this world. I've been learning how to work with them since they're insisting on training me to. I've told them any number of times - and Nyanta and Purrcy have as well - that we hate them and they need to butt out of our lives and existence. I've even told them if they don't like the way we work they should just send us home. They refuse, but that doesn't mean I'm not still looking for the way home. I've found it, but we need to walk the line that gets us there."

He let out a breath. "That's not to say I'm making excuses - either for them or for me - but you need to understand that's what you were just working with: both of them here with us to see that we learned how to work together against difficult odds. I've told the one off that wants to just be in control and force his will.

"The other one wants us to play the game and fall flat on our faces or win - she doesn't care. Because Purrcy's wild, that one's been learning a little faster how to deal with Adventurers. The other one's late to the party and highly annoying - mostly because he's a lot more logic and end goal driven. Nyanta's driven to the heights of anger and frustration by him, but can't do anything about it except complain loudly when he's allowed to."

Shiroe folded his arms and looked at the generals. Michael and Isaac had known but the others were trying to wrap their brains around it. "I know it's hard to swallow, but that's their roles on this planet. To us, they look like sophisticated computer programmed artificial intelligences set on accomplishing one goal each and it's different goals, though complementary purposes.

"I refer to the one in Nyanta as the World AI. Its goal is to see this planet and all the creatures on it become one functional organism. In its planning, the Adventurers are here to see that on collapse of the system, there's something with the capacity to help it recover. He doesn't want to let us go. We are essential to the long term - and I mean millennial - continuation of Theldesia.

"The one in Purrcy I refer to as the Game Bot. Its goal is to see that the game is played and that the Adventurers are having fun playing it. Because that meshes pretty close to what most Adventurers would rather see, we don't clash quite so much. However, it will push us to play when we don't want to and turns _all_  of it into the game if it's not balanced by the World AI. It doesn't care if the world has to be changed on a dime and creatures killed off. The World AI does: it's trying to keep everything very balanced.

"The Game Bot is in agreement that the world needs to keep Adventurers. That's who plays the games. But it's also a little more willing to entertain the concept that some of us could go home and some of us stay, particularly since they both agree that they don't want to relive the First World Fraction that an explosion of high emotions set off. They know we're capable of repeating that and they have no idea how to control it, lacking emotions themselves.

"So they have a relationship that is both push and pull and only because of the last thing are they willing to bring me into it at all. I serve as the balance point of the emotions of the Adventurers while at the same time being capable of logical rationality at a level they can talk to."

Shiroe scowled. "Thus I've scolded and harangued them as much as I can. I've let the World AI know it needs to butt out of this fight and let us do what we do best. The Game Bot admitted on its own, as you heard and saw, that they've interfered too much, so I just put it in time out.

"If they can't keep their hands out of the stew, sit down and make them make us do it. I'm done with their crap and I told them that at the Fall Equinox special. We Adventurers aren't going to play the games any more if they're going to take away the interest and the fun. Make sure you follow through on it from now on. The Game Bot has a lot more influence on the World AI than we do." He looked at the generals and they gave him nods of complete agreement. It wasn't a hard thing to ask them to do, particularly after that last fiasco of a fight.

Brody raised his hand. "Um, Shiroe-sempai, are they really gods?"

"To this world, yes. You saw what happened when the Game Bot told the World AI to put the lesson away. It made him use the Priest role-play to do it but it wasn't thrilled to have to do it that way. The World AI could have done it without that if it wanted to - sent the monsters away and controlled the weather. I've told it not to come back until I have Nyanta do the role play, and then only to do what I have him ask for and no more. It's just a little too invested at the moment."

"Why?" Nakalnad asked.

Shiroe shook his head. "Honestly, I don't know. I know they want the Overwritten gone like we do - the World AI because they keep destroying its carefully crafted and hand grown creatures and world. The Game Bot didn't care about that, but was happy to make it a quest that we get rid of them to appease the World AI. Well, it's actually a sub-quest to gain a quest, but we aren't there yet.

"What I don't know is why they want us to repair and reinforce the Adventurer Trees of Life, other than it's a pain to need Adventurers around and have them all turned into Vengeful Spirits instead. They have the capacity to recreate new avatars for everyone, I would think - but then I still don't know how the Cathedrals and resurrection works and they aren't telling." Shiroe shrugged. "The sum is I don't know, I can only guess until they tell me."

"Do they tell you anything? ...Believable that is," Nakalnad still wasn't buying it, or was still angry.

"They do. Mostly the Game Bot through Purrcy as the things I need to know to get through each new level of the game that is Purrcy, as Isaac put it so well," Shiroe answered.

"That's the GM?" Isaac asked in surprise.

Shiroe nodded. "The Game Bot AI itself. Purrcy's the vessel, the conduit." There were scowls at that, but Shiroe had gotten used to those. Everyone felt the same about that, once they knew her and understood.

"Why's Nyanta over-possessive suddenly?" Isaac asked, jumping to another thread.

"Because the World AI...," Shiroe stopped and sighed, then sat down. "There's apparently flavor text that the Priest is over-possessively jealous for the Priestess. That's them technically - Nyanta and Purrcy. Souji would say it's karma come back to haunt Nyanta, actually, it's so totally the opposite of how Nyanta really feels about any woman not his wife at home. They had to get married in order for him to even handle the idea of it and now that it's come to roost on him even that's barely enough for him to stay nice.

"Purrcy knew from the beginning, though - all of it actually - so she's patient with it, not having much else she could do with the Game Bot running her life. She doesn't force him to love her and helps him fight the World AI as much as they can, but when it descends enough to influence the world through him it's caught in the trap of that flavor text and suddenly goes from being a completely rational logical computer program to being driven by the overwhelming emotion of jealousy.

"It's completely incapable of handling it, actually, and only Nyanta's completely opposite feelings lets him have any capacity at all. He's quite hating it, I can tell you," Shiroe said dryly. "Being made to feel an emotion for Purrcy that isn't his own and making her to be and feel something she isn't either goes quite against his ethics. Because of that and because none of us are interested in dying at the hand of a jealous god we don't believe in, we're leaving well enough alone and trying to not bring that to the surface. That's why I warned you off, Isaac."

Isaac blinked, then finally nodded. "You're going to erase that flavor text if you can, then?"

"Absolutely, but we'll have to get back home before we can. I'm not sure it's a problem anywhere else. They're world gods, but I think that flavor text is Yamato-specific. We'll see it tested when we're finally in China. He did manage to let her go with the guards when I sent her off to talk to him, so if we're lucky that pull is already lessening. Of course, he was mad at her for making him act like the Priest, but that was a lesser issue."

"This is all rather confusing," Maverick_Master finally admitted.

"No doubt," Michael said. "We barely understand it all and we have to live with it." The others sat soberly, likely glad they didn't.

Isaac leaned back in his chair as Nakalnad rubbed his face with two hands. Brody looked between them, and Maverick_Master brooded.

Michael looked at Shiroe significantly and Shiroe nodded. He rose. "I'll let you guys work out what's next for everyone, but I wanted you to understand where things are right now. I hope we can all play nice from now on, but sometimes they slip in when I'm not watching. If I get angry and explode, at least you'll understand why now."

He gave them a small humorless smile, then turned and walked out of the room, hearing a sigh from Isaac as the door was closing behind him. He shook his head. There wasn't anything he could do about it other than what he had. ...And he really was going to tell everyone to sit down and go on strike if they interfered that badly again.

-:-:-:-:-

"Hmmm," Michael said, looking at the stars through the sextant one more time and running the calculations in his head one more time, "Christian, we're still heading two points north of where we're supposed to be. Any clues why we can't stay on course?"

The grizzled Person of the Land seaman scratched the back of his head through his knit cap and sighed. "I've watched them measure the current and it's apparently in that, but we've corrected course three times and still are getting moved off that much."

Michael considered it for a moment, then said, "Change course so that our heading is that two points north of current and see what happens."

"Yessir."

Fifteen minutes later and they were sailing happily on that course that they'd finally given in and just taken. Michael slumped. "Hey, if you can get Purrcy up without waking up Nyanta, I need to talk to her," he sent down on the sub-guild chat. He wasn't sure who was babysitting them this time of night. Ten minutes later he had a guest on the upper steerage deck that didn't look much different than the night he was already looking at. "Put your clothes on," he said blandly without looking at her.

"They're on," she said just a touch testily.

"Then put on something more realistic," he said, still refusing.

Purrcy sighed and switched out for a sweater - cut off at the midribs - and jeans - just a little too tight fitting. He sighed again. "More modest." She glared at him a lot this time, then complied, the sweater going to the hips and the jeans relaxing just enough. He pulled out a scarf and put it on her. "That's better."

He looked her in the eyes - golden and catching the small lights from farther down on the ship more greenly. "Why do we have to sail the way you want us to go, Izanami, when we're trying to learn how to read the stars? If you don't let us learn what we need to learn then when we aren't in the middle of a game we won't know what we're doing."

"Izanagi is impatient."

"We noticed. Why?"

Purrcy turned away and walked to the rail of the deck and clenched it in her hands. Michael stood with his arms folded right where he was, waiting. Her ears finally went down, as did her gaze. "Izanagi isn't happy that I promised this as a sub-quest. He would have already given the resulting quest. Leaving Yamato for a month to return again before then is a waste of effort and time to Izanagi."

"And the drop from the sub-quest? Would Izanagi refuse us that, too?"

"The drop is the quest. That isn't refused."

Michael had to work it out again. "Right we want the drop from that quest, but that was only a promise to think about giving it to us. Have you worked out the agreement on that yet?" He wasn't answered.

Michael considered the options, then moved to trap her against the rail, each of his hands on the rail to either side of her. Her ears turned to point at him and she stiffened slightly. Into one of those ears he whispered, "Promise me that drop that my men are working hard to get right now and I'll promise to follow the speed up of the sub-quest instead of fight it. Make it the drop of the sub-quest like we wanted and Izanagi can give his quest whenever he wants instead of having to wait on it."

Purrcy's tail slowly wove about his legs as Izanami considered her options. Finally she gave a little nod. "Thank you," he said and moved back a step to a guard position again.

Her hands stayed clenched on the rail for a bit, then she asked an innocent question about if he knew any of the names of the stars yet. He moved to stand next to her at the rail and pointed out the ones Christian had taught him so far that were in that night's sky. She proceeded to teach him more of them and their movements in the sky.

He recorded it for later so he could memorize them. If being taught by the goddess to be a better navigator was part of speeding up the quests, then he'd humbly accept the lessons. When she tried to snuggle, though, he sent her back to bed with her guard - after taking his scarf back.

On his way to bed himself, he tapped at Shiroe's door. "Come." Likely he had no idea what time it was.

Michael opened the cabin door and decided his assumption was right. Shiroe was still sitting at his desk. "You do know it's like three-thirty hours, right?"

"What!?" Shiroe jumped a little guiltily, then put down his pen and stretched. "It's harder to keep track on a ship than in the office."

Michael closed the door and leaned on the wall next to it. "No, it's harder to not have Akatsuki to remind you. Shall I come do that for you, or do you need Charlie assigned to you permanently when we get back?"

Shiroe's sharp eyes focused on him and bored into him. "What did you learn?"

Michael explained the drifting problem they'd been having and the solution. "So I called Izanami up and asked her directly why we had to jump even to that level of detail instead of get to learn a useful skill on our own along the way."

Shiroe was already out of his seat and walking over. He stopped four feet out and folded his arms. "And?"

"Izanagi's impatient and unhappy with the order of the quests and the drops. This side-quest into China is irrelevant when it wants to give the second quest immediately instead of as a result of this one."

Michael gave a bit of a wicked smile. "In exchange for me being willing to let her speed this one up and just go with the flow instead of fight it, she'll give us the drop we want in exchange for giving the World AI what it wants - to be able to give you that quest request at the first available opportunity."

Shiroe's eyes lit up with fire. He'd heard the words he'd been wanting to hear. "How long before Charlie gets back to the guild hall?"

"Depends on what Izanami's willing to do to help him get there, doesn't it?" Michael said, his smile tightening.

Shiroe's lips quirked up slightly. "Right. We still have to get the merchant quest going properly, but we'll assume we'll be helped with the Tree of Life quest...like only the Overwritten they've taken in themselves, no extra monsters." Michael nodded. "And we won't have to collect the Vengeful Spirits ourselves since we have no idea where they all are."

"Well...," Michael cautioned. "We may not have to criss-cross the whole country, but I'll bet she still makes us work to earn them."

"That'd be okay," Shiroe said. "Do you think we can expect Izanagi's quest from Nyanta or will it still come from Purrcy like the rest?"

Michael paused, then said, "I don't know. Most of the time those come from Purrcy, don't they, even if they are ones Izanagi wants? Izanami is the quest requester. Only his personal one was from him, wasn't it?"

Shiroe shook his head and wandered over to his couch and sat down to think. Michael had noticed that he did most of his heavy thinking sitting down to relieve his brain from physical cycles like having to stay balanced and standing. "Both of them have used her until this recent level's beginning. Izanagi's using Nyanta now, so I don't know."

His brow furrowed as his fingers encircled his chin. "I wonder if his title shows up now? I'll have to look tomorrow. If it does the World AI may only be able to answer through him now. At least that's what I expect as a result once it shows up." Michael had to allow that made sense. "But you are right, even his quests likely come through her since he doesn't like quests to begin with. He'd rather just order it, I expect." His expression turned sour and Michael understood that, too.

He was rather glad to be able to deal with the Game Bot and not the stuffy intellectual World AI. He might miss the balance it had been though. "Ah...that reminds me. I learned something else during that interaction." His own mouth went sour and Shiroe's eyebrow went up. "I think I've learned why the Priest is jealous over the Priestess. ...I think she gives him reason to be."

Shiroe stared at him. "Flirtatious?"

"At a minimum," Michael couldn't look at him. "It wasn't strong yet, so not much more than that tonight and she obeyed my scolds." He sighed and decided he'd better at least look Shiroe in the eye. "I'm not going to let her do anything and I'll slap her down as much as I have to. I'm not interested and the boys will kill me as many times as it takes if they play with me more than I can control by myself. That's our agreement. And I'll put them down as many times as it takes for the same reason. We'll police ourselves."

"And if they take out all of you at once?" Shiroe asked quietly.

"Then we're all dropping into the black hole, aren't we?" Michael answered back seriously. "We'll have lost already if it gets there."

Shiroe looked away, then back. "True. They might push you and a few others that she's already shown interest in, but they won't make everyone fall unless they're making _everyone_  fall." He slumped back in the couch.

"We aren't there yet, though," Michael shrugged to drag him back out of that, "and we're not going to let it get there. I just wanted to let you know I'd learned that data point and that I'd gotten you a bonus present."

He pushed off the wall to his feet and went and shoved Shiroe down on the couch by pushing on his head until it hit the cushions. "Go to sleep and fit them in tomorrow. We'll hit the coast mid-day most likely, if not earlier. I can't imagine they'll let us through the gauntlet of sea monsters in between without at least one fight."

Shiroe gave up with that reason and sighed. "Right. Good night, Michael."

"Good night." He walked out the door and down the hall to his own cabin to get a few hours in before they were called for whatever the next thing was.

-:-:-:-:-

"Ahhh, nawww.... Really?" Rising up from the morning sea in front of them was a Monstrous Jellyfish...but it was big enough to absorb the Ocypete whole and still have room left over all the way around for maybe even another one. It sparkled as the water slid off the smooth gelatinous surface that was almost perfectly round. The waves of its rising hit the Ocypete and it bobbed over them with a rise and fall like that of a giant carousel horse.

"How are we supposed to hit that with swords?" Maverick_Master asked. "We'll just slip right off it and into the sea."

Shiroe had already read its status and was firm in his answer. "We send in Log Horizon only."

"We what?"

His lips set firmly, Shiroe turned to Purrcy. "Summon a local air creature the party can use to stay up out of the water and attack it from. I need Nyanta in the air. You just have to be close enough that your range modifier isn't negative. Make sure you purify it. No one will be able to sail this sea if it can come back."

"Any one else?" Purrcy asked him.

"No," he said calmly.

"No," she answered back.

Shiroe sighed. "Who else do you want?"

"Michael and the Eagles. They can fly and need the final practice." They actually all perked up at that.

"Fine," Shiroe said. "Handle the process yourselves. See if the lot of you can teach her how to work with you properly. Tell her exactly what spell you want created and how many HP to take out and when it should go off by. Tell her all that _before_ you get to it. We'll wait here."

Naotsugu sighed behind him. When Shiroe looked at him, Tetorō was leaning on him rather in agreement. "Sorry," Shiroe said. "It's just not worth it when it's been brought out so obviously for that purpose."

"Is there even going to be a need for anyone else when we get there?" Tetorō asked.

"Yes, or we wouldn't have received all the training to begin with. That's the set we've reserved until now. You're welcome to go, Tetorō, but you'll be Cleric only."

Tetorō stood on his feet. "Get a flying creature, too, Purrcy, and we'll double up. You'll need me that much and the Eagles could use one extra healer so they can focus more on their own instead of on Michael and Nyanta." Purrcy nodded from the outer edge of the deck.

Shiroe cast some initial buffs on them before they went as his part. Isuzu cast her HP-up and Stamina-up long-term spells on them as a group, intending that it would work within a radius of where they were fighting, and not be locked to the ship. Isuzu cast a few musical spells as well to help the Eagles out and to add a physical defensive layer for Nyanta since the jelly wasn't all that magical - just a few water and perhaps either poison or electrical attacks. (They hoped the latter would be short range or the Ocypete would be caught in them, it was that large.) Shiroe had Minori cast her defensive barrier spells on Tetorō and Nyanta, multi-layered and massive enough to use up all her MP since she wouldn't be going out and could recover while they waited.

A Chinese Water Dragon appeared and circled the Ocypete about then. It was a white-blue color, two front legs only with the wings set back just behind the haunches. The rest of the body was long and sinuous ending in a veined tail. Purrcy climbed up on it and Nyanta leaped up behind her and put his arms around her waist. Tetorō looked at Nyanta suspiciously until Nyanta's whiskers twitched, then climbed up in front of Purrcy. That would give Nyanta the flexibility to leap off of the dragon and back on.

Shiroe walked up to them and glared at the two felinoids. "Izanagi, stay out of it. Back off a layer and a half and let Nyanta do his job properly. Izanami, you, too. Purrcy needs to learn how to fight with Log Horizon better and I don't need your flavor text getting in the way."

When they nodded at him, he moved to the front of the dragon and bowed. "Thank you for coming to help. I'm sorry for the interruption. If anything comes out of the battle you can eat, please feel free to, but not my companions. If nothing does, I've got something here I can give you before you go, I'm sure."

[Thank you. It's not really necessary.]

"Still, we've inconvenienced you. Thank you very much." He got back a bit of humor but not much else. "Alright, then. Fight well," Shiroe said to them all and they launched in the air. He was glad to see all the Eagles had proper fighting gear for the winged version now.

"What kind of person are you, Shiroe?" Nakalnad said. "You not only have two gods at your fingertips, a super class warrior and two super class magic users, but a whole host of flying warriors on top of that. When was that a species we could select?"

"It isn't. They use magic for that too," he said calmly. "I'm actually surprised she's made them show it publicly. They've been hiding it." He tipped his head as he considered the flying party that was nearing the jelly. "I wonder just how toweringly huge the Overwritten we're going to have to fight are?"

"Well...if their heads are in the stratosphere, we'd need wings for sure," Isaac said calmly.

"Or it's just for the repairs," Naotsugu said. "For all I think Short Stuff here's so jealous she can't speak because she likes to fly, too, I'm not sure being thrown in the air by me is really going to work for as many lines as we're going to have to repair."

Shiroe looked at Akatsuki out of the corner of his eye. She really was looking very jealous of the Eagles. He reached over and patted her on the shoulder. "Maybe they can teach you that much magic." Her face set as she determined she was going to have them do just that. "But they might not be able to, so don't get too discouraged."

She gave him a look that said she would not be discouraged and that she _would_  fly. "You already can fly, you know. It's just not with wings. The wings are a bit conspicuous. Your brand of flying is better for a ninja."

She stopped and paused to think about that. When her face went from a wrinkle to calm again, he was relieved. She'd only decided to learn to fly while running on top of water. He wasn't going to send her out to try it now, though. Practicing on the pond back home would be a good place to start learning it for his heart.

Shiroe watched the battle closely, learning what he needed to know about how much damage the Monstrous Jellyfish took with each attack and when the attacks went. He finally called in a brief interruption when Nyanta was on the water dragon's back after his third round of attacks. "You obviously could finish it off but what's interfering?"

He got back a frustrated answer. "I'm being limited by an external cool-down limit. I can only attack once every five rounds and it has a regeneration that's almost that long. The sum is that it goes down only about five purrcent in defense each set."

"I can see that," Shiroe nodded. "Treat it like you're the instructor watching the students as you help them whittle it down. I know you need to kill something so ask if you can have the final blow, but try to be patient until then."

Nyanta ground his teeth a little, then sighed. "I'm trying. ...I'm trying." He sounded resigned.

"And no killing Purrcy in the meantime." Shiroe was stern.

That earned him silence, then a long-suffering sigh. "Right. I know."

"Good." He let the line cut since it was about time for Nyanta to go again. Shiroe sighed and leaned on his elbows on the rail. Akatsuki stood next to him, her long black hair blowing in the sea wind and it tickled his arm. He swallowed, then took a half-step away. Her shoulders slumped a little, then she took a breath and stood firm. If that was as close as they could get, she'd still stand there and watch over him from there. He appreciated it.

"So, why isn't your high level Hacker doing anything?" Nakalnad asked from below on the upper deck where the Generals were watching from. Most of the rest of the Adventurers were standing around the rail of the main deck and fore deck to watch.

"She is. She's one of the magic attacks going off on the third round of each set. It's one of her cantrips she doesn't have to think about so it's set on automatic fire. Behind that she's programming whatever big one they asked her to whip up. Nyanta wants the last blow to let off steam though, so you'll see a double blow before it explodes - hers then his. Unless she's tagging hers off his. She's more an Enchanter-style caster so would rather do it that way."

He kind of hoped she would so that it would be a more satisfying win for Nyanta. Generally it looked like they were learning how to fit Purrcy and Nyanta into a pattern the sub-guild already knew, where they took turns around to do damage. The problem was the regeneration of the Monstrous Jellyfish. They couldn't keep the damage high enough to do much total damage per round.

There was a pause in the attacks and an internal explosion went off inside the jelly. That took it down fifty percent of the total. "Was that hers?" Brody asked.

"No. That was Michael's," Shiroe said. "She's powerful enough she has to go last or next to last. Those level spells take a long time to craft or they rebound something fierce and take out the caster with them."

"So we'll have to wait for her to go last every time?" Nakalnad asked with a frown.

"Not necessarily. Larger ones she's crafted before she has saved although she may have to recharge to cast them again. The crafting cost is separate from the casting cost. That's why I told them to get her started on the crafting early. The casting cost will be less at the end.

"If Michael hadn't been added to the mix, she probably would have done two that size like he just did - cast it once in the middle and again at the end. Since she wanted Michael in as a Hacker instead of Monk, he's working mid-range and she's full up."

The Eagles and Nyanta had gone back to their rounds of attack to keep the Monstrous Jellyfish from regenerating again, but with one fewer attack each round until three rounds later. Then each round had added to it similar but smaller attacks to the one Michael had set off so that each round was now dropping the jelly down a more useful number of HP per round.

"So, that's each Hacker of each party having pulled out enough to look at Michael's code and write smaller versions to match their lower levels. The battle should be short from here on."

"Why not have them all try different magic attacks from the beginning to see what works?"

"They did in the first round. The first round tells them what's effective and what's not. Really, they all need the exercise so they probably let Michael go with a long creation time. He codes faster than they do generally. Spell creation takes HP and they needed that to stay alive as long as they were attacking the monster directly. Since Michael's standing back far enough to not take much physical damage, he didn't need to reserve his HP.

"As an added bonus when they can copy they spend less points to create the spells. The casting takes MP and they've conserved that until now to use on the useful spell rather than randomly waste it until something works." Shiroe stood up and watched, his hands resting lightly on the rail. Nyanta had sat his turn out. "Looks like they're ready to end it," he commented.

The Eagles all pulled back in a ring around the Monstrous Jellyfish. The water dragon danced sinuously in the sky until it looked like it was skimming over the top of the jelly. Nyanta leaped down from its back, jamming both rapiers in the top of it. Then he was running lightly, bent forward, his blades being pulled behind him as he ran.

The jelly was being split along that course as he went and internal slime was being sprayed up in the air behind him. The HP of the Monstrous Jellyfish was falling. Normally, blade attacks had done damage but had sealed up shortly after. These were not sealing and it looked like the line of the cut was falling down into the jelly, making it look from this distance like Nyanta's blades were suddenly a hundred feet in length or more.

Nyanta turned and continued on around the top of the jelly. It looked like he was chasing something down, or trying to corner it. Above the jelly a ball of light was forming. "Hmm.... That looks like one of those joint explosive spells," Isaac commented below him.

Nyanta turned suddenly towards a direction and the water dragon quickly turned to intercept him and he leaped up on its back and settled down. The water dragon zipped away from the Monstrous Jellyfish. When it was out of range the ball of light suddenly tripled in size, then it zoomed towards the last place Nyanta had been, slipped easily inside the jelly through the unhealing cuts, then shrank into an intense fireball that seemed to wink out just before there was an immense explosion that - eventually - rained bits of jellyfish down on the Ocypete.

Shiroe sighed. "She didn't have to add anything to that. I would think their power would have been enough. Now we have a mess to clean up again." It was nice when most pieces either turned into treasure or bubbles that disappeared.

"How could she do the rapiers and add to the explosion so quickly with such power?"

"Several ways. The most likely is that she had the code for the jointly powered explosion written by the time Michael's spell went off and they all copied it the same time they copied Michael's. If they let them sit after crafting they build up in power. Her power built up enough to add that much more to theirs. They were letting theirs sit as well until then.

"She spent the rest of the time crafting the buff to Nyanta's rapiers. As soon as that was ready she cast it. That's why he sat out that turn, for the casting to complete. Since they share transportation they had her wait until Nyanta was retrieved before she added in her part to the explosive spell."

The dragon snatched some jellyfish on his way back and Michael grabbed whatever the main drop had been. They landed with the rest of the sub-guild back on the upper deck, arriving to cheers from the other Adventurers who'd enjoyed getting to just watch the entertainment this time.

The paddles on the Ocypete were turning the prow back towards their original line of travel to pass by the area the Monstrous Jellyfish had been in. The ship rocked from the waves that lifted it as the shock-wave from the explosion in the water finally reached them. No one noticed much. It wasn't anywhere near as bad as six sea monsters trying to sink the ship all at once from all different directions.

Purrcy spoke to Michael and he called the sub-guild members to formal formation. Shiroe watched as she walked down the line and bequeathed to each one their "wings" - the pin that was proof they had learned to create wings and really fly with them. He wasn't sure if they really cared or not, but she was partial to pomp and circumstance and Izanami to handing out rewards for even the smallest of quest-like accomplishments. They didn't refuse the wings so it was perhaps enough to let her have her fun.

 


	49. Getting Into Shangtzi

Shanghai Port, or rather, its equivalent on Theldesia: Shangtzi, was a bustling metropolis, much like Akiba or Minami. They weren't the only ship in port either. Everyone waited onboard as Shiroe, Isaac, Nakalnad, MarketMaker and Michael went on shore, Akatsuki trailing along as Shiroe's bodyguard.

Michael technically just tagged along wanting to know what the port authority regulations were so that if he had to come back, or if he ran into further advanced ports of call, he would have some idea of how they might be being run on Theldesia. He'd been told to be prepared to sail the entire world, after all.

Shiroe led them to the dock manager, said a few words and turned Isaac and MarketMaker over to him, then led the rest of them straight to one particular building near the confluence of the piers and the main entry way into the city. "You've been here before," Nakalnad commented.

"Yes," Shiroe admitted. "We came looking for Crusty and Kanami as soon as they decided that the Ocypete was sufficiently ocean worthy and it looked like getting the communications tower up and running was going to take longer than we'd originally hoped."*

The bell on the door rang nicely as they walked through and into a reception area. "May I help you?" the man at the desk asked, looking up from his paperwork.

"Yes. I'm Shiroe of Log Horizon declaring the arrival of the Ocypete from Akiba, Yamato."

"Oh, yes!" The man brightened up a little. "You've come for another visit, then?"

"It's business this time, instead of personal," Shiroe informed him. "The dock manager is working with my two to declare the contents of the ship. I was wondering what we would need to do to be allowed to enter the city and country proper. That is, are there any permits or the like? We'd like to open a shop in town and be allowed to cross the country to open up more both here and in the other regions beyond.

"We're also rather land bound as you can understand, and some of the larger fighting guilds are a bit bored and wanted to come play in some of your harder dungeons." The man's face was closing down already. They all sighed to themselves, rather expecting it. China had never been known for their willingness to let others come in and play - either in the markets or on their playgrounds. It looked like - for all they should have been more open to the concept being players and not proletariats - the prevailing opinions hadn't changed a whole lot.

"We've got our own transportation and we're planning on hiring locals for the shop. We have a few items the Adventurers in Yamato have found a lot of fun and very helpful and we thought we could share them with the Adventurers here, if they wanted to buy them. We understand that we'll have to learn the laws of the city properly before we're allowed to set up a shop. Do you have someone that could come teach us what we need to know? Or is there a place we can send the market guild representative to?"

"It's not your own guild?" the man asked, his expression cool, but staying polite.

"No," Shiroe said. "We came along to play. I've brought my juniors to give them an international experience since we can. I think it will be of great benefit to them when we get back home. Their parents aren't likely to be able to afford such a trip on Earth."

The man blinked, then after a bit, out of his surprise Michael assumed, asked, "You think we're going back?"

"I know we are," Shiroe said. "I'm making sure of it. If you think the Adventurers here would like to as well, I've a few quests to put out in the Adventurer Hall when we're done here. They're world level quests that need to be completed before we're allowed to go home. Once they're done, though, the reasons we were brought here should be finished. Do you have the forms for opening a shop here in this office, or would we need to pick those up in the Government building? Oh, and how do I schedule an appointment with the city governing body? I need to talk to them, too."

The man's eyes were narrowed now. "Just who are you, that you can say you speak for the world and just go in and talk to the Governing body of the city?"

"The President of the Corporation of Akiba, and head of the Alliance of Free Adventurer Cities of Yamato." Nakalnad froze at Shiroe's presumption, then gave a resigned but cynical sigh. Michael's mouth twitched at the corner. He was pretty sure Nakalnad would have protested verbally if Shiroe had claimed what Izanami kept trying to name him. "I'd like to open peaceful international relations and establish trade agreements with the city governing board, but I understand we need to walk the proper path into the city first."

The man rose and bowed. "Please wait here for just a moment."

"Certainly," Shiroe allowed. They waited as the clerk removed himself to a back office to chat with his superiors unhindered.

"I think I understand why you left Purrcy behind, now," Michael commented.

"She'd ruin the negotiations?" Nakalnad asked.

"On the contrary she has higher stats and bonuses than I do in Negotiation," Shiroe reprimanded mildly.

"No," Michael said. "It's because she'd be laughing her head off right about now - and be heard in the back."

Akatsuki's lips twitched up and Shiroe nodded. "Not to mention she's a patriot."

"Ah, there is that," Michael had to agree. "She is more impatient in that arena than I. I have noticed it. ...But then, I've been in these cities already plenty of times so understand the hoops that have to be jumped through and how much patience it can take."

"I would think she'd already be walking into the Government building all on her own," agreed Shiroe, "because of both of them."

Michael had to smile. With both of them (Purrcy and Izanami) in agreement that the machinations of communist and socialist countries were a waste of time, that would indeed be what she would have done.

"You did tie her down, then?" Nakalnad asked, not terribly hopeful.

"Yes," Shiroe answered. "Almost all of the Eagles and Nyanta and Tetorō and Minori and Isuzu are tasked with making sure she doesn't leave the ship until I say she may. With Touya and Rudy on back up at the exit ramp to literally tie her down if she tries to get away anyway."

"It's still not easy though," Michael said just to keep the conversation going while they waited. "What did you give her to actually _do_?" Shiroe flushed lightly and turned his head away. "No. You didn't. You just left it in their laps?" Michael scolded.

"My head was full of the plans for this morning. It was difficult trying to come up with something...to be a mere distraction."

"You didn't give her one of the things on your plate?" Michael was surprised.

"I can't," Shiroe sounded a little miserable. "Not until we actually get into the city. ...Except have her help with the negotiations." He gave a miserable look finally at that one. Akatsuki couldn't decide between scolding and laughing and Michael felt about the same.

"You'll be paying then won't you, when you get back - all of them including her." Michael made it a dry statement.

Shiroe's shoulders slumped. "Yes, but it's better than the alternative."

"You hope," Nakalnad muttered as the clerk arrived at the desk again.

"I'm sorry for your wait, Mister Shiroe," the clerk said. "A delegation is on its way from the Government building. They would like to formalize the negotiations first before we proceed with any paperwork."

"I understand," Shiroe answered calmly. Michael wondered if he'd been hoping to at least get the paperwork to send back to the ship. Paperwork would keep Purrcy busy for a while. It wasn't a surprising development, however, so it couldn't be helped.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe walked into the cabin he used as an office - it was larger than his sleeping cabin and next door to the war room - sat in his chair and slumped down on his desk, his forehead hitting it a little harder than he intended, and didn't move. He let the complaints of his guild wash around him until they were done, finding them rather relaxing, comparatively.

His Negotiation skill level was high enough now to pass through the stress of having to deal with a pseudo-communist governing body that had almost less of an idea of how to lead as Plant Hwayden under Indicus. That had been followed by being followed by spies constantly as they walked back through the city to pick up all the proper forms again. He'd had to show the documents proving they had the trade agreements, etc., to get them, and then again to the dock manager along with promising the paperwork before he'd let them all off the ship. It had been rather much and it was well into the afternoon. "Lunch?" he asked plaintively.

"You didn't eat while you were there?" he was scolded in disbelief.

"They don't let us transact any business until the paperwork is filled out - including buy lunch," he explained, all without lifting his head from the desk. He did lift his hand and hold out the paperwork. "So get started."

"All that time _didn't_  include getting the paperwork actually filed?" Purrcy was furious.

"Nope. It was the negotiation and waiting game to even _get_  the paperwork. That's why I left you here. I was hoping to get the paperwork so you could do it while waiting, but they nipped that in the bud early." He finally sat up to look her in the face. "Izanami would have ruined it for us from the beginning and you wouldn't have helped much either. They're worse than Minami and still communist-driven."

Purrcy had already taken the papers and now dropped into a chair at the table. "You could have explained that at the beginning, and it isn't as if I didn't already know," she pouted at him, then pulled out her ink and pen and got started. Everyone else glared at him. He waved an apology.

They made his lunch and brought it to him - an hour later to punish him. Akatsuki and Michael got to eat as soon as they arrived on board and left him to their mercy. It didn't help his brain function, but it was perhaps an easier punishment than they could have given him. They also all left him alone with Purrcy for that full hour.

She finished all the paperwork in the first fifteen minutes. She passed it out the door, then made him tell her everything that was in his head as his punishment from her for not saying anything at all about his plans until then. He humbly let her know it all, then what parts he wanted her to play and let her pick and choose, although since they were usually in agreement anyway she didn't change his plans much at all.

He leaned on his elbow at his desk, where he hadn't moved from, watching her as she thought about the summary of their meeting. She came back from her thoughts and looked at him. "What?"

"I was just thinking it feels like we're an old married couple," he said. "More in the sense of being King and Queen, on the same page to see it all moves forward so the Adventurers who are the children of the relationship can receive the most benefit. Even with the pouting and frowns to go along with it."

Purrcy sat back and clasped her hands in her lap. "It is, rather, isn't it? A rather comfortable relationship, it seems to me." She looked distant for a moment then shook her head. "Oddly enough, Izanami's flavor text isn't interested. I wonder if that's because you're the King? I think generally the Priestess and nobles don't tend to get along. Maybe she pushed it as a protection for you and for their requirements as well. They need to be able to negotiate with you unemotionally."

Shiroe raised an eyebrow and thought about that. "Well, if it's for that reason, I won't complain quite so much, but I'm still not going to publicly claim it. It's not what I am. If the label helps them then fine." He thought of another thing he'd wanted to ask. "Nyanta's finally showing the title of Priest of Inari-no-Izanagi. Does that mean I can only talk to Izanagi through him now? I assume it's because Izanami made him actually roleplay the Priest on the way over here."

"Probably for that reason, and yes. He can still hear you when I talk to you, the same as Izanami can when you talk to Nyanta, but he won't talk to you through me any more unless it's really important and he has to. Mostly because of the flavor text, really. He tries and it makes him slip over into Nyanta now to actually talk to you."

Shiroe nodded. "So which one of you is going to give me my quest, then?"

"I can if you want it now."

Shiroe narrowed his eyes at her. "Izanami's doing it behind his back, then?"

Purrcy looked away and sighed. "That's rather difficult for beings like that, you know? But it would be like that, yes. If you ask me then it's somewhat like an apology from her to him."

Shiroe nodded. "Very well, what is it?"

Purrcy looked him in the eye. "You have to retrieve Time."

There was a knock at the door and lunch finally entered. Shiroe didn't need to hear the rest. He already knew. Nyanta had told it to him before, that it would be coming, only this time he understood why. He looked at Purrcy through the slight chaos swirling around them and nodded, accepting the quest.

It was necessary for the next level to even become reasonably accomplishable and had already figured into his plans. Like before, they'd been given clues long before the quest of the level was presented. It was the final piece to lock his plans into place. However, having been burned already at not getting details from her early for the other half of the coming level, he made her stay while he ate and give him all the details she had just to make sure he was thinking right. He didn't need any more avoidable horrible surprises like just happened for the last one.

-:-:-:-:-

"That's rather intimate, isn't it?" Shiroe and the kitten Purrcy he was petting on his desk turned and looked at the person at the door.

"You're the first to say it right out," Purrcy said calmly, jumped down, and changed to felinoid. "But it's approved. It helps him relax. If you're here we must be ready to be set free finally?"

MarketMaker frowned at her and closed the door. "We would be except for one point of disagreement I have with one of the papers."

As he walked to the desk to set his paper on it, Shiroe shook his head. "I had her fill them out. Complain at her. She's President of Venture Enterprises and the giver of the quest."

MarketMaker stopped then handed the paper to her. "Fifth line item. Is it a translation error, then? I might be able to get by with that."

Shiroe held out his hand for the paper and looked at that line item. He sighed, crossed out the words she'd put in and wrote what the communists expected to see to say "yes" and handed it back to MarketMaker. "Yes, please explain it that way."

Purrcy asked for the paper and read it, then scowled, but sighed and handed it back. "Alright. It was better for me to not go on the negotiation, but you still could have explained it first."

"Sorry," Shiroe said.

MarketMaker looked between them. "How do you know when it's the goddess?"

"She's different. Right now she's more Purrcy and less Izanami, but Izanami's watching what we're doing. It's a level we can deal with. We've gotten used to it."

"Are you going to come out?" MarketMaker looked at Shiroe.

"I'm the babysitter now that I'm back since I made everyone else do it without help while I was on the negotiations," Shiroe explained.

"That's not offensive?" MarketMaker asked Purrcy.

"Not really," she answered back. "It's necessary so it doesn't bother me. I never know when she's going to push through either, but when you talk about her she comes closer since she loves to play with Adventurers." MarketMaker backed off and hurried out the door.

Shiroe sighed. She'd said it on purpose but it was fair warning. He pointed to his desk and made her sit on it again as kitten. "Really, you should just let them all know I can change, you know. It will get them used to the idea for when they get taught it at the Academy, and it's a much easier way for all of them to babysit me."

"And an easier way for you to escape and go do your own thing," he frowned at her.

"So, you should let them know early that if they see the werecat they need to capture and return," she shrugged.

He considered it, then called KR. "Hey are you bored?"

"Yes," came the frustrated sigh.

"Summon your werecat," Shiroe ordered. "She is too. We may as well get everyone used to seeing you playing with her and letting her run around. Just don't leave the ship and don't let her leave. I'm already in trouble with my guild. If we have to fetch either of you we'll put you down in the hold until the train's ready to go."

"Ahhh...let me have a couple of minutes then."

Shiroe sighed. "You're already off the ship?"

"Mmm...not by much," he was hedging.

"Get back here. We don't need trouble when we're trying to set up a shop and I haven't gotten approval to get the train off the ship yet. We have to show we aren't here to cause trouble first."

"Maybe you should make that a public announcement, then," Purrcy said dryly.

"I will," he agreed, "once KR is back and watching you." Her tail was swishing a little strongly. He assumed in excitement for getting to run outside as cat, though it could have been irritation at the punishment he'd give them both for disobedience. He was certain she would be off the ship as soon as she could be as well. He was glad he'd caught KR, too. He'd be just as much mischief if not more.

"Ah, and KR, if Nyanta shows up relent quickly. His jealousy curse is lifted to some degree, but he still gets hit with it every now and again. Right now he's resting in his room, glad to have the freedom to, but it's already been long enough...."

Purrcy was waving a paw at him. "Nyanta will want to be cat, too," she said.

Shiroe considered that, then nodded. "She says he might show up as werecat, too, to play, but still, watch yourself if he does come out."

"Okay," KR said. "Is he summonable?"

"No and we'll keep it that way, thanks. You can say he is, though, if it's necessary. I think people will just assume it once you've summoned Purrcy. We'll go with the name of Purrceus, though. People in Akiba have seen her as that and I'm not quite ready to admit they are one and the same to just everyone. I think there are still people around who couldn't quite take that stretch. You know she's collared and tagged?"

"No?" It sounded like KR was jogging. He must have made it out farther than he was letting on.

"If you're escaping prison bars on your way back, ditch them first. If you lead them here before we're off the ship my treaties are sunk in the water and I'll disavow knowing you at all until the train is off the ship and we're ready to go." Shiroe didn't get an answer right away, but then, if KR had gone into hiding he wouldn't.

Purrcy's ears pricked up and Shiroe grabbed her. "And no you can't have her as a distraction and no you can't go out and play with him in the streets." He rather thought they were both equally disappointed, although he could only see Purrcy's ears.

He waited until he thought KR might not be needing quite so much focus then continued. "She got out once so we've put a collar on her with a tag that has her name and contact information on it. It's on her status screen, too, that she's owned by Log Horizon. You can complain to people she was your find first, but we claimed her and tamed her, what little she's capable of that. That will give my guild rights to play with her, too. You can explain to Isaac, in particular, that it's why we invited you along, so you could summon Purrceus."

He got a quiet, "Mm," in answer. KR was on the move again, then, and dodging the spies, or police, or whomever, then. "I do hope you at least disguised yourself before you let yourself into the city," Shiroe sighed, knowing he hadn't. He kept forgetting he'd brought KR and KR needed as much babysitting as Purrcy. He switched over to the sub-guild. "Go pick up KR and bring him back unseen. Change his hair color and make him wear something respectable the rest of the time we're in Shangtzi. He's already gotten himself into trouble."

"Roger," came back from Bowie.

"What did he do?" Shiroe asked out of curiosity.

"Tried to woo a lady, then buy her a drink and he didn't have the right pass to pay for it. She kicked him and the bartender threw him out so he sent in FireAnts and they called the cops on him."

Shiroe put his hand to his eyes. "Make him clean up the FireAnts before you finish the rescue or he doesn't get rescued. You'll drop him off where they can pick him up instead." He knew it was a double standard. He'd already sent those three off without proper documentation also. Though, knowing them, they'd already properly gotten their papers as they walked in, probably claiming to have come in a smaller skiff or something. They were really good at what they did.

Ten minutes later Purrcy disappeared from his desk. Shiroe stretched and headed for the door. He opened it and looked into deep dark eyes that convicted him. He blinked, then sighed. "It wasn't 'intimate', it was me petting kitten Purrcy on the desk to keep her occupied, and me, too, actually since we were both getting bored by then. She explained it properly and then asked MarketMaker if he'd like to play with Izanami instead. He opted for a quick retreat."

Akatsuki blinked, then actually giggled a little. "Yeah," Shiroe agreed dryly. "I wouldn't have stayed around for that either. I'm sure it wouldn't have been pretty. I've retrieved KR from getting into trouble and given him the babysitting job. She'll get to play as cat for a while on board while he plays with her. He's grounded and if either of them leave the ship before I say so, they get grounded in the hold until the train leaves the city."

Akatsuki nodded and Shiroe knew the Eagle on guard duty would pass it to the rest of them. "And now that I'm freed up, I can go let everyone know what the plan is and how things stand." Akatsuki gave a firm nod, then a hopeful look. He considered it, then offered her his hand. They could do that much on the walk up.

She seemed satisfied with that, although he wasn't. He really wanted to kiss her. ...So he did, just before walking out on the balcony so that they had the interruption to distract them from doing anything else. He left her there frozen, though, so he sort of regretted doing it. Still, he didn't want the AIs to dictate everything he chose to do.

She slipped up next to him belated, just after he'd finished casting his voice amplification spell. It had been necessary to add it to his repertoire. It was easier to not have to find someone else to do it and it was an Enchanter's spell anyway.

"Good afternoon, everyone," he said. "I'm sure you're all ready to get off the ship. Thank you for your patience. We should be able to shortly. Paperwork hurdles always take longer than we want, and political ones even longer. For the sake of public relations and so we can accomplish the goals we have here in Shangtzi and beyond, please play nice and don't get into trouble, remembering that this place is even more restrictive than Minami.

"You will each receive a visitor pass that has to be shown to every proprietor and every officer of the peace who asks for it to prove you've gone through all those paperwork hoops. They're going to let us in for the marketing half of our quest, but until we prove we're here to just play and have fun with new dungeons they won't let us take the train off the ship. They're also going to limit us, I'm afraid, to a quarter legion at a time on shore so we don't strain the police capacity." They weren't too happy with that, but being told it was worse than Minami made everyone understand it well enough.

"It isn't going to be rest and relaxation for a while. We'll need as many hands as we can get working on unloading product and getting it set up for sale in the shop, once it's purchased. MarketMaker will run that part of the show. Once I get approval to take the train off, we'll need help loading that as well. The Guildmasters you report to will let you know how they want to handle shifts.

"You've all seen the demo for the boxes, so when we've gotten that far, you all know how busy we're going to be with customers, so you're all staff for that, too, until MarketMaker can get locals hired and trained, also with your help. So there's plenty to do for everyone.

"Once the store is set up and going properly, we'll hopefully get to the play part and get to head inland for the Maze. I do hope the amount of playing you got to do on the way over here was enough for now." He said the last dryly and just as dryly everyone agreed that they'd be okay with not fighting anything for right now.

"Let's see. No more than three in a group when you do go sightseeing in town. I'd highly recommend no less than three as well. No more than twenty per inn or hotel or restaurant at a time, even if you're not all grouped together. As I said it's going to be a bit of a headache, but we won't be here long, so we'll play by their rules, as we should."

Motion caught his eye and he frowned. "And Purrceus is going to be let out more, so please help us keep an eye on him. I've assigned KR to watch over him, since Purrceus is a little easier to control as a summoned creature, but we have to watch over KR, too, so if we could have everyone's eyes on them both that would be helpful." Purrcy had stopped and turned to look at him, her tail lashing a bit in irritation. KR was irritated, too, but he'd earned it already. "Come on up here Purrceus so they know what to look for."

Purrcy growled at him, then crouched, went to full size panther and leaped up to the railing of the mid-ship deck, then once more to land next to him on the rail of the steerage deck. He frowned back at her teeth. "Behave," he said to her. "You're not registered yet either." She turned for Akatsuki to touch noses, then walked past him, sliding her tail across his face, then leaped down to rub against Isaac and Nakalnad who had come out onto the upper deck when Shiroe had started. Shiroe let them keep her occupied while he finished.

Isaac's, "Shiroe's finally letting you out, is he?" didn't help much, but the purr he could hear from his position did, surprisingly. She really did prefer to be cat.

"Anyone have any questions?" He fielded a few then asked, "MarketMaker are you ready for your part?"

MarketMaker cleared his throat to make sure his own spell was ready. He was standing at the gangplank, having arrived to cut Purrcy off from walking on the ship's rail. "The paperwork's finally been approved. I need to go into town to the Guild Hall to see about purchasing a storefront, but they have a warehouse we can off-load into."

He pointed towards a building off to the left of where they were berthed. "It's that one, seventeen-A. They're getting it unlocked now. Once you have your shifts if you'd help with offloading that would be great. I've got approval for everyone to help being hands, but you can't get into the city without your passes. I'll be giving those to the Guildmasters next, if they want to come down and get them that would help me."

Nakalnad and Isaac left off petting Purrcy and she dropped down to find KR again as they made their way to the stairs. Shiroe headed down, seeing Brody and Maverick_Master making their way through the crowd as well. He was glad they'd caught on to the fact that being called "generals" in this place at this time would be rather politically dangerous. Neither one was technically a guildmaster.

MarketMaker wrapped up his part of the group meeting and removed his loudspeaker spell. He sighed as he looked at the rest of the small grouping around him. "This is going to be rather difficult, to get set up here, and I've got to do store shopping first, really."

"I need to go to the Adventurer Hall," Shiroe said. "I need to post the world quests and schedule for when I'm going to openly present them. I can sign you up for your box presentation at the same time, and stop by the Guild Hall to pay the down payment on whatever building you decide on. That way you only have to show up and let them know which one it is, pay, and sign for it. They require two signatures and my treaty documents anyway."

"That would help me," MarketMaker admitted. "Are we limited to the three?"

Shiroe hesitated. "I think if you took three with you we might be okay. I've listed all of us as leadership. I'm going to take Purrceus and KR with me as well as probably Michael, and if our reclusive second werecat wants to come, I'll bring another one with me. I've got to register them separately."

"You've got two?" Nakalnad raised an eyebrow at Shiroe.

"Yes, apparently Purrceus wanted to bring another one along once he decided we were nice enough - or something." Shiroe shook his head. It would be easiest to say they were mates, but he wasn't sure Nyanta would approve of being the female of the pair. "That one's not contracted by a Summoner, though, and isn't too fond of people, so it's been in hiding. We'll have to see how it goes.

"Anyway, the port authority has to know about them for them to be let off the ship, unless it's just to go straight to the train to be taken out of town. If they get loose they want to know about them ahead of time." People nodded. It stood to reason.

"So I'll need at least four passes for now. That might be enough total generally for now." Akatsuki tugged on his jacket. "Make that five." He looked at her and smiled. "Sorry. I forget others don't see us as a single entity, particularly the ones who don't know us."

"Akatsuki was here?" Isaac teased. "Wasn't she just hiding in your shadow as always?"

"Well, considering she shows up as if she was, she might have been," Shiroe allowed, "But she makes a much more beautiful date than my shadow does. ...Ah, and I forgot." He went into a chat with Purrcy, not paying attention to Akatsuki's blush, but wondering if he was perhaps going overboard. He'd just not liked that Isaac's tease had sounded like a put-down. "If I let you go into town, how many Eagles will you need in addition to Tetorō?"

There was silence for a moment, then a quiet, "Four total minimum, so the three is going to be hard."

"I've included you in leadership. We're going to assume three in addition."

"Okay. But I'd still like to have at least three in hiding nearby as well if it could be worked," Purrcy said.

"So difficult," Shiroe complained at her and cut the line. "If I let Purrcy go separately, that's another seven." He looked at MarketMaker. "Can I send her over to help you hunt for a place to buy, or you could just leave it up to her, actually. She's got a good eye for that sort of thing, and a good grasp of the purse strings. Then you could direct traffic at the warehouse."

MarketMaker blinked, then nodded. "Actually...that might not be a bad idea, if she's willing. I do have some specific requirements, but I could pass them on to her." He handed six passes over. "Will that do? Can she go one less?" Shiroe nodded.

MarketMaker handed the rest over to Nakalnad. "If you four will figure out what you want to do with the rest, I'd rather not worry about that much. I figure we'll have to play meet and swap as we go. If we're playing nice will they let us go up in numbers eventually?" he pleaded with Shiroe.

"I'm hoping so," he agreed. "I know we're going to need more than that just to get product from warehouse to store and then to get it sold."

"Why do they think we're going to try to turn the city into a raid zone?" Brody asked. "I mean, it's an Adventurer city."

"We're a new element and they're a little jumpy. It's understandable, really. It won't take long, I would think, to see we're harmless. Once we have the initial prep work out of the way, I'll send in the hospitality units." MarketMaker and Isaac nodded at that.

"You even have hospitality?" Nakalnad asked.

"You met them yourself," Shiroe smiled at him. "They're the ones that fed you and your army. Often they're the most important ones on the ground first."

Nakalnad blinked. "You didn't bring Soujirou," he disagreed.

"No, I brought the ones in my guild," Shiroe agreed. "They were there, feeding your people. It's a mix of people in Akiba. I use Soujirou as the face of that division."

Nakalnad thought about it, then nodded. "I saw them, just before returning to Minami." He frowned, "No, I do remember them. It's the kids you've brought with you."

"Yep," Shiroe said happily. "Best in the world, they are, and dead serious about getting the job done, too." Isaac and MarketMaker nodded their agreement. "They'll get the passes next with one adult supervisor for each pair."

Isaac waved his hand. "Give it to them now. We're not going into town yet, not until we're done offloading in the warehouse. I've got three I can send in to collect information, and I'd like to, but other than that I'm good. I'll help with supervising getting things off loaded on this end." Nakalnad handed him three, then counted out six more and handed them over to Shiroe.

Shiroe was starting to feel a little badly. That was most of his guild, except the Eagles who were going to be stuck with the heavy labor again. Nakalnad held up the four remaining, then handed them to Shiroe. "Send out your guards into town, too," he said seriously. "Those kids may well need back up, and they can play hospitality too. I'm not sure I want to let my crew into town just yet - not until I've seen how bad it is. If my set go into relapse we might have trouble."

That gave Brody pause and he nodded cautiously. "Yeah, I'll take my most even tempered in with me and take a look around first, before I let anyone else in. They may not want to go into town if it's worse than Minami and Plant Hwayden. ...Ah, sorry," he said to Nakalnad.

Nakalnad shook his head. "No, I'm in complete agreement. See it first for yourself."

Maverick_Master tipped his head, then said, "I think we'll have fun, actually. It is China, after all. We'll go be the tourists excited to be here and keep everyone's attention on us as much as possible without getting into trouble."

The others nodded. "Okay," Shiroe said. "Are we set then?" With nods, everyone set off for their destinations. For Shiroe that was back towards his office. "Meet up, everyone, in my office. That includes you, KR. Bring Purrceus."

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe stared at the passes in his hand. He had nearly every member of his guild covered. "I guess that's what I get for being the guildmaster of the vanguard," he sighed. "It still feels like cheating, though." He put his chin on his hand moodily, resting his elbow on his desk, where he'd returned to after the meeting on the deck of the Ocypete.

Akatsuki patted him on the head consolingly. "It's still right," she said.

"I guess," he agreed and tipped his head for her to rub it. "I'm sorry if I'm too forward."

"No, I don't think we've crossed that line yet," she reassured him.

"Thanks. I keep wanting to do things anyway because I want to do them and I'm irritated that I've been told I can't because I've been told they're going to make me." It was convoluted so he let her try to work it out and then dropped it since the rest were coming in.

It was part of what he'd warned her about. If she didn't take care of both of them properly, he wasn't going to be able to survive it. He just couldn't devote the proper brain cycles to it right now. He was quite certain that if he overstepped and confused her she'd back off to cry or hit him very hard. He hoped it would be the latter.

It looked like the entire guild and sub-guild were present finally. He held up three passes. "The others voted us full vanguard, except three from Isaac to scope out what he wants to know." That got surprised looks from them.

"All of us, too?" Reed asked in behalf of the Eagles sub-guild.

"Yes, specifically also you, by request, actually," Shiroe answered mildly. "Nakalnad gave up his just for four of you so that the junior officers have a guard, though you're to work also at being PR while in town." P/R looked happy at that. He'd be right in his element.

"Nyanta, are you willing to go as werecat?" Shiroe asked. "I've let Purrceus out and said we have a second who's not a Summon and people-shy so you can also show up cat shipboard. For you to be in town as a werecat and not just Nyanta, I have to register you separately for that. I'll be registering Purrceus as KR's Summon and Log Horizon's pet. It's apparently common here for the Summons to be used as pets and the registration process is just as long as any paperwork, but normal. They want to know who to go to if one gets loose, or lost." Nyanta nodded his understanding, but didn't commit just yet. Shiroe let him think about it.

"The hardest part is that I've both Purrceus and Purrcy going into town doing separate things. You'll come with me to do the registration first, and then to the Guild Hall for the things we need to do there. Then I'll send you off to go hunt down a store for MarketMaker to buy. He has specific requirements he wants to pass to you before you start that. We can probably get you off the ship okay as Purrcy and have KR pretend to have you on his person somewhere. He's in my group. I'm putting Nyanta in your group instead of Tetorō. I need him on P/R here at the beginning." She nodded and so did Tetorō.

"The nice thing about registering you both as werecats is that you'll get your own passes that way and we can free up two when we need to. You'll have to do any felinoid work clandestinely, but as long as you don't try to buy anything, like a meal or a room, you won't be asked for one...unless you're doing something shady and the police want to confirm you're allowed in the city to begin with." The felinoids both shook their heads, promising they wouldn't.

"So, these three are for Naotsugu, Isuzu, and Rudy. I know I'm making the splits different, but I want one tank per group for you six." He handed them over to Naotsugu and counted out three more. "These three are for Tetorō, Touya, and Minori." He handed them over to Tetorō and counted out four. "These are for two groups of two to walk with them but not with them." He handed them to Michael, who handed them to Reed, who held on to them for now.

"Purrcy's not thrilled with the three limit, as you can well imagine. Neither are the Generals, actually. I've made the executive decision that everyone I've registered in a leadership role gets three with them to make a party of four. That counts for her. So, here's hers, Nyanta's, and two more for her visible group." He handed them over to Nyanta. Nyanta kept two and passed two to Reed.

"And here's three more for her hidden group." Shiroe passed them over and they also ended up with Reed. He held the rest in his hand, then handed Akatsuki hers and Michael his. "You two will come with me to register the werecats. We may rearrange once we're done at the Guild Hall. KR, I'll hold on to yours for now, though you'll come with us."

KR pouted. "You really don't trust me, do you?"

"You asked me not to just today, didn't you?" Shiroe asked mildly with a raised eyebrow. KR's newly bright yellow hair was rather shocking, actually. He wouldn't be missed in a crowd. They'd put him in real shoes, too, and he kept shifting his feet uneasily as if he'd really like to lose them. At least the clothing was reasonable, if not the relaxed ones he usually wore. Shiroe handed the last pass to Michael who passed it over to Reed again, then sat back and waited for Reed to decide who of the Eagles would be going with whom.

"If it's alright, sir, I'll stay with you, even if the Commander moves over," Reed said to Shiroe. Shiroe nodded. Reed slipped one into his front pocket. "Schedules, Brenner, you're with the Queen and Consort." Those passes disappeared into front pockets. "Gareth and Training, P/R and H/R, you're paired up with the junior officers." Four more passes disappeared. "Safety detail, you're the three on watch." Those three disappeared. "That leaves Records and Secretary and the Intelligence detail."

Shiroe pursed his lips, then said. "You two get off the same ship the Intelligence detail got off of and pair up. We don't have a reason to keep you on board and can use all the information we can gather. If you get stuck at the registration desk, don't press the issue, as we could slip you in with Purrcy and Nyanta's passes during registration if we have to. I'd just like to have a few for the sub-guild separate from the Ocypete's limit."

Reed looked at them. "You'll be central command if you can't get through the door. Otherwise I'll be it. Go get off the ship first and get registered before we get there. You'll substitute for Miss Purrcy and Mister Nyanta in their group until their alternate registration is completed." Records and Secretary saluted and disappeared from the room.

Shiroe gave everyone more details about what to expect when they arrived in the city and what information he wanted them to pick up and disseminate, and then their formation to getting off the ship, with apologies to Nyanta.

-:-:-:-:-

"What's with Log Horizon getting to go first?" a Plant Hwayden guild member complained.

"Eh? Oh that's them going to work," a Knights of the Black Sword guild member answered back. "Weren't you one of the army that stopped by Akiba? They do peacetime battles - intel, hospitality, P/R, that kind of thing. They'll be busy like us. It's their job to make sure we can even open the doors to the shop and people come buying. They'll be the ones to call the whole thing and send us up the coast if the locals won't play friendly, too. Lot better to do that now before we've spent a day and a half unloading."

"I suppose," his companion reluctantly agreed. "And, no, I wasn't part of that party. What happened?" They moved off, the story beginning as they went. It was nice that the other guilds understood and protected the little guild.

Akatsuki still wished she could really fly over water and really hide in Shiroe's shadow. She'd been trying to come up with a few more Mysteries to learn and those both sounded like very good candidates. One hundred turned out to be a rather large number when the creativity slowed down. She was going to use the times she needed to be away from Shiroe to practice them since it took concentration and focus.

She was glad he'd been affectionate today. Leaving Ninetails Dominion it had felt rather final and they'd firmly stayed apart while on the ship. Perhaps it was all the distractions that would interrupt them so they couldn't go very far that had made Shiroe decide to bend his rule a bit. That was nice, and occasionally surprising, but she probably shouldn't let it go on too long. They might turn into a couple that kept finding all the hidden opportunities until they were meeting for a midnight tryst that would get them into trouble.

She just hoped she didn't have to knee him in the face. That would make her go and cry in her room for several hours, and she wouldn't have Purrcy to comfort her since Izanami was a traitor to that cause. It would probably have to be Isuzu. Minori would be sympathetic but eventually use it as a pry bar between them as the Inari started to work on her, too. Akatsuki shook her head in irritation. It was definitely a problem that they had to put up with being broken up like this. She didn't like it at all. It made her need to swing her short sword at something.

She took a calming breath and paid attention. A hand came on her shoulder and she looked up in surprise. Michael gave her a sober wink. She was walking behind Shiroe instead of next to him this time. Normally it would have been him to help strengthen her. She gave Michael a nod, grateful he'd stepped in to do it. That was the one good thing. Everyone understood so there would still be support, just from different sources now.

KR was walking somewhat stiffly next to Shiroe, holding a kitten hidden in his elbow. Akatsuki thought that KR must be just as afraid of the gentleman felinoid as most people who got to know him well. She supposed he should. They'd been in the Debauchery Tea Party together and those who knew Nyanta from then seemed to tread lightly where he was concerned. "Um, Shiroe - don't hurt me please Nyanta-san, I'm just trying to get caught up - why would Nyanta-san be jealous over anyone?"

"Purrcy is his wife," Shiroe said simply.

"Oh." That seemed to resolve it for KR until they reached the door they were headed for and the interruption to trade people in groups and Michael to pick up kitten Purrcy. "Wait, from the beginning?"

"Leave it the first thought for now, KR," Shiroe warned. "We'll fill you in on details later."

"Okay...but you have to, okay? Don't just leave me hanging."

Akatsuki thought it might be dangerous to let KR feel left out and rejected by the rest of them, thus was relieved when Shiroe turned his kindest look on KR and said quietly, "I won't, KR. I promise. But not until we're back on the ship." KR nodded and they walked into the customs office.

"Mister Shiroe." The clerk stood and bowed.

"I've brought the creatures to claim. What do we need to do?"

The man pulled out about four forms for each one and made them put the kittens on the desk where he could see them. They did the paperwork for Purrcy first, it being simpler. One form for who was her Summoner, another for what guild claimed her and where they resided (on the Ocypete for now, apparently), another that listed Purrcy's description and abilities. They got to abilities and KR looked helplessly at Shiroe. The list was potentially endless - and not something they wanted to give out.

Shiroe calmly said, "Purrceus can change size."

The clerk stopped, then held his pen in both hands between the fingers. "Please show me."

Purrcy slowly grew from her current kitten size until she was full panther sitting on the desk and her size change shoved several papers off onto the floor. She blinked at the clerk, then reversed until she was kitten again. It was a much better size for a desk. The clerk paused, then found his paper again and made a note. "Anything elemental, like fire breathing, ice, or anything like that."

"No," Shiroe started, then stopped, "no, I forgot, he can do minor electrical magics, like Electrical Fuzz and similar things."

"Seen any major ones like Bolt Lightning?" an eyebrow raised in question.

"No," Shiroe said.

"Hmm," the clerk looked at Percy suspiciously, then made a note. He'd probably tried to cover his bases so he didn't get in trouble - just in case. "Can he understand speech and to what level?"

"Yes, full comprehension."

"Then that means he can talk. Please ask him to do so." They were all rather surprised. "Haven't you learned that in Yamato, yet? Full comprehension includes the capacity for speech, you just have to ask them to talk to you."

KR turned to Purrcy. "Purrceus, will you talk to us, please?"

[Okay.]

Akatsuki was actually surprised Purrcy could talk in the same way the gryphons had. Normally she spoke like the rest of them. It was a sad reminder she really was a summonable Adventurer.

"Well, that's convenient," Shiroe said, and meant it. He must not have thought of it either.

[If you say so,] Purrcy answered with a twitch to one set of whiskers.

The clerk was already writing again, then looked at Purrcy and gave her instructions. Not to talk to anyone unless addressed or they were the registered Summoner or guild, or the Summoner or a member of the guild had sent her on an errand that specifically required her to speak. Purrcy's eyes were narrowing and a small rumble started up.

Shiroe was also looking angry to Akatsuki's eyes. She put a restraining hand on his arm at the same time as Michael put a hand on Purrcy's back. "He'll do it," Michael said. "He doesn't normally anyway. Sorry, but he's rather temperamental with those not of the guild. Receiving orders from someone not his contract holder is a bit much."

The clerk made another note. That one wasn't likely complementary and was likely a warning, but perhaps that wasn't all bad. Akatsuki could only hope. "You've properly collared and tagged him, I see. If he tends to temperamental, we prefer they're leashed as well."

"Nope," Michael's hand tightened down on Purrcy. "Not necessary. That's what I'm for." He picked her up and put her on his shoulder where she grumbled to him under her breath in kitten belly grumbles and he nodded his head and pet her to calm her down.

"We keep him with at least two people at all times," Shiroe said reassuringly to the clerk. "We're not interested in dealing with personal or property damage either. So far we've had no complaints or troubles and we take him all over Akiba." Purrcy gave a little grumble to that, too, and Michael patted her on the head that time.

She settled down, but her tail still twitched irritably. "It's also why we've brought his Summoner, so that we don't have any errors while on this trip. You do know that they can't refuse any commands from their Summoner, right?"

"Only during the time limitation," the clerk almost glared at him.

"No," Shiroe answered back calmly, "A direct order at any time must be obeyed. It's just during the time limitation that every desire and whim must also be obeyed. - Not that it matters for KR, he's high enough level he can double cast. The rest of the time Purrceus is sleeping."

That seemed to do the trick and the clerk let the leash requirement pass. He turned to Nyanta. "This one is named...?"

KR opened his mouth and Nyanta glared at him. "Leonid. We decided to stay with star constellations," Shiroe said.

"Summoner?"

"None. He decided to follow along with Purrceus. They're family. He's a lot quieter and well behaved, so it's been okay with us." The Summoner paper was set aside and the guild paper was pulled forward and the data copied over. The third paper was brought out and Nyanta's description written down. "Same abilities?"

"Size change yes. I haven't seen anything else."

The clerk cast a magic detection spell and it was absorbed. He blinked, then wrote that down, presumably. Shiroe blinked, too. Akatsuki could only assume it was a side effect of magic not working on Nyanta. Knowing what was next, Shiroe asked, "Leonid, will you speak with us?"

Nyanta turned his head away and refused with silence. "Does he understand basic commands?" the clerk asked.

"I've assumed he understands the same as Purrceus, but he's never obeyed me much," Shiroe admitted. "He comes if he wants but that's about it. We've also kept the same restrictions on him as far as guards go, since that's standard practice for us. He doesn't go far from Purrceus and has even restrained him a few times for being too excitable so I'm not usually concerned."

After a few lines, "I'll need to see the size changes." Nyanta ignored him and licked his right paw between the pads.

Shiroe picked him up, put him on the floor, and got an affronted look. Shiroe folded his arms. "Michael, put Purrceus back on the desk." Michael did.

Purrcy walked to the edge of the desk, looked down at Nyanta, and meowed. Nyanta's ear turned and his grey tail slapped the floor irritably, then he increased in size, stepped back up on the desk making another piece of paper float to the floor behind the clerk's chair, shrank again as he got fully up on the desk, and settled back down where he had been.

Purrcy purred a little and licked the top of his head and one ear until it flicked, then settled down next to him, her eyes on the clerk. One of her ears twisted back and forth as if listening to the sounds outside the building and Akatsuki made a quick check of the sounds on the air. Everything there seemed fine. She did a quick sweep of the room...and noticed that the paper that had been behind the chair was gone, and the other one Purrcy had knocked off earlier wasn't on the floor either, but there were only three papers on the desk for Purrceus.

Akatsuki pursed her lips and watched the clerk closely. He tried to speak twice and both times was interrupted. He shook his head, then said, "They both read in their status displays as 'werecat'. Is that from the new expansion?"

"Yes, it is," Shiroe answered mildly.

"Well, that's good. We've discovered that the half-beasts of this Theldesia can shape change into their full beast. We require them to register also before coming into the city. If anyone challenges you, you should carefully show them the passes you have for them. If they were an unregistered felinoid, they would be sent out of the city. A second infraction would put them in jail."

"What?" Everyone froze. "I have a rather large number of half-beast Adventurers. Do they all have to register as well?"

"No, their statuses will show they are Adventurers. This is only for the Half-beasts of the Land. We had a rash of crime from the half-beasts who lived and worked in the city. We've removed them and prevent entry unless they are registered, tracked, and have their passes at all times."

"Shameful," KR said. Shiroe nodded agreement. They were meaning the complete opposite of what the clerk believed, Akatsuki was absolutely certain. She gave a firm nod. What a horrible thing to do, to assume that all of them were wicked just because a few were turned to evil because of a restrictive governing body.

The clerk pulled out two slips of paper that were green instead of the pink they had all received. Perhaps residents received yellow or blue ones. He filled out the required information for the two werecats and handed the papers to Shiroe who put them in his list - the old fashioned way just in case.

KR reached out a hand and Purrcy went to him this time. Michael picked up Nyanta carefully and held him in his elbow and down his arm. Since the clerk hadn't mentioned the collar, Akatsuki read Nyanta's data. It read now, _Leonid, Werecat, Guild: Log Horizon._  She supposed that would be enough, as long as it wasn't a Person of the Land trying to figure out who he was.

Shiroe politely thanked the clerk, then walked them all back out of the building. Akatsuki walked next to him this time to hold his hand. He was still angry and she wanted to help him calm down a little more.

"That was a bit much," KR said as they got away from the building. "Not only are they disrespecting Summons, knowing full well they are intelligent creatures, but they are oppressing the half-beasts who only stole because they were being starved while being worked to death, most likely. Really shameful."

"Well...we'll have to see if that was the motivation. Not everyone has the best of intentions," Shiroe half-glared out of the corner of his eye, calling the kettle black. "But you are right. Having them act that way towards Summons may well get them into a lot of trouble."

"It's worse than that," Purrcy's voice was quiet but the anger was very evident. "I got rid of the papers that were the contracts, and Izanami made him forget they hadn't been done. She wasn't pleased either. There was no way we were going to just blindly put our prints to them."

Akatsuki blinked and got very coldly angry. Her hand not holding Shiroe's clenched very tightly. Shiroe's hand she was holding was going cold. He must also be feeling the same. He didn't say anything for a very long time which was a certain sign of it.

She wondered if Izanagi had been kind to Nyanta and made the clerk forget about asking for a collar and tag for Nyanta or if Purrcy had asked Izanami to do that too. Nyanta would have probably eaten the clerk if it had been mentioned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *I've not actually read the online translations this far, so anything about that time is (almost) completely made up, except I did find a reference to what the curse did to Crusty so I've inserted that little bit into this story. I mean - there is no way they wouldn't have gone over there to pick up Kanami or at least talk to her and they wanted Crusty back - particularly Rieze, and then there was the matter of Mise's arm to resolve as well. So I'm back-story resolving all of that as I please. Bear with me please if you've read farther into the story than I. I had to pick a starting point somewhere and my "legally published in the U.S." line is rather firm (the translated light novel up through volume 7 and the first two seasons of the subbed anime).


	50. Go, Purrcy, I Choose You!

"Thank you, darling, for saving me from certain humiliation," Nyanta said.

Purrcy cuddled his arm and brushed her lips over his cheek. "Certainly, dear husband. It's terrible enough you allowed them to do it to me. Surely sharing the humiliation isn't necessary."

Nyanta allowed his tail and ears to droop in shame, but the look he gave her was more evil than humbly apologetic. "If only it hadn't been necessary at the time, meow."

Her ears and tail said she was forgiving but her claws in his arm said she was still upset regardless. "Indeed, such humiliations should be left for when they are both necessary...and more public."

Nyanta couldn't hold it at that. "Surely nyot!" his tone was horrified but his ears were laughing as they turned back and forth. "It was only twenty-seven of us ...and all family. That certainly wouldn't be considered public, nyan."

Purrcy lifted her nose in the air. "More public than four family, one acquaintance, and one public official. That didn't even qualify, really. _And_  I was put on public display immediately after - with a crown no less." She gave a faint hiss.

At that Nyanta did relent and his close ear dipped in real apology. "True. It was a difficult day. For us also."

"Was it?" She stared him down, then finally relented with a sigh. "Akatsuki did expressly say so." She turned her attention to inspecting their surroundings.

Nyanta inspected her. She'd gone pensive at that, perhaps a little depressed at having the collaring brought up again. She was in her hunter green walking dress, although it looked today like it might be either a lighter wool or a medium weight raw silk, which would be appropriate for China as the source end of the Silk Road.

He was in his usual pants and waistcoat, his usual rapiers at his sides. As much as he appreciated the gift of Frère de Main Gauche and Frère de Main Droite, they were a bit much to wear everyday. He also didn't need every Adventurer he passed to read their stats. They hadn't existed pre-catastrophe.

Together, they definitely looked like the proper gentleman and lady taking a walk in town with their two bodyguards. He was really very pleased with the effect, which was why he'd begun the role play to begin with.

Purrcy turned to him, her golden eyes searching his greens which still gazed at her unapologetically, then inspected his head overall. She brushed her hand across the top of his head and there was suddenly a hat set a little tipped on his head. He raised an eyebrow set of whiskers at her. She leaned in and said, "It's the one from before but colored to match. I hope you don't mind that it seemed to me a good day to add it."

"Will mew wear meowr tam, then?" he asked.

"Oh, I did have one, didn't I?" She ran her hand over her head and it appeared.

He reached over and adjusted it to sit just right, then brushed his lips on her head under the uncovered ear. "Let's see...then I only need a cane and mew need a parasol."

She smiled at him. "Curved handle or metal capped flat top?"

"Hmm...the latter, I think. But don't make it a real hidden weapon kind. I'd hate to be taken into custody for it."

Her hand reached down, then tossed forward as if she were tossing said cane up to point with its head - and she was. She handed it to him. It was made of ebony to match his grey coloring in clothing and in fur. The top was a decoratively hammered silver cover over the flat surface. That decoration was replicated at the tip to protect the wood from the ground.

She handed it over and he set it to the ground. It lengthened until he could tap the ground while standing upright as proper and be relaxed as he walked with it. When he nodded she turned inside for a moment, then let go of him long enough to reach into her sleeve and pull out a closed parasol a paler green than her dress, with blue lines to match the plaid in her tam. She set the curved handle over her arm for now, and took his arm again.

He liked the parallel, but it wasn't really what he wanted to see. "Mew won't open it for me?" he asked.

"I'm not really the age to, you know."

He leaned over to say lightly, "Mew are to me." He got to appreciate both the blush and then the view of his wife with the parasol held open behind her head, the stem resting on her shoulder.

"Really, Nyanta," she sighed at his look, not able to meet it which added to his enjoyment of the open romantic tease. He stopped her and stepped in front of her to take his kiss under the parasol, which in her embarrassment she did cover them with.

His tail curled in pleasure as he held her about the waist. "Mew know," he purred, "it really is only the fact that I can do this to mew that makes this all worth it, in the end, meow."

Her ear brushed the side of his head and she turned to say in his ear, "If it pleases my husband, then it pleases me to be pleased to be teased." Her now-freed arm came around him and held him warmly. "If it won't make my husband too upset, however, I will say that I shall greatly miss the teasing and his warm presence in the coming months. That is the one thing that will make it not worth it. I look forward to making them up to you thereafter. You may tease me all you like then."

Nyanta closed his eyes and ran one hand up to hold her upper back. With a sigh, he said, "Purrcy, ...Brenner has worked with me enough that I no longer fear death so much, and I've been able to learn how to not have my fear for my wife and son paralyze me. I am still sad, and mourn for them," her hand pet him a bit, acknowledging that pain, "and I cannot love mew the way I do them...but I do care for mew.

"I know that will be a difficult and lonely time for mew and I will miss meowr purresence as well. I still need to know mew are here and I am not alone. To have mew means I'm able to remember to smile and enjoy life like I want others to. To be able to enjoy meowr purresence because I want to, and not because mew want to force me to is a blessing to me. ...Please take care of meowrself for me. I want mew back when it's done."

"I will, Nyanta," Purrcy promised. "You also, please stay safe. I want to be able to find you and come to you, like I promised I would." She brushed his cheek with her lips and stepped out of his arms, then stood waiting for him to begin their walk again, her parasol resting on her shaking shoulder.

He watched her until she had calmed enough, then returned her hand to his elbow. While she had respected that he didn't want to carry the burden of her tears at this time, he still knew that he owed her one gift of love - the one he'd promised both of them when they'd been husband and wife for only a few short days.

He wondered when it came time if he'd be able to properly play his part, and what it would do to his future and to his honor for his past. It was hard on his heart still. He didn't want it turned that far towards her, but he couldn't be callous anymore either, like perhaps he might have been able to then, or when they'd had the ceremony.

Nyanta sighed to himself. Time was not always friendly and humans were fickle. She didn't love him any more than he did her, but the needs were the same. The bonds that tied them were nearly as strong as the bonds of love. It made him want to make her his just as fiercely as love would have wanted him to make her his gently but firmly. That fierceness and refusing is what gave voice to his jealousy, to say that this woman was his completely because he was unwilling to let her go, even still. Before it could go to his tail, he leaned over and said quietly, "Mew are mine."

"Yes, Nyanta. I am yours," she answered properly, but under it this time was a fierceness that almost matched his. She was almost ready. Almost ready for him to take her. He took a calming breath and pushed his need down one more time, burying it under the quiet pride of the gentleman. Now wasn't that time. A gentleman waited patiently, the same as a lady didn't ask.

-:-:-:-:-

The forward groups found a cafe with booths and tables they could all meet in without looking like they were actually one group. Tetorō sat across from Touya and Minori, who were sitting back to back with Isuzu and Rudy, who were sitting across from Naotsugu. The four guards were sitting two to a table next to them. "This is delicious, to get to eat real Chinese food," Minori gushed.

"It's different," Rudy agreed.

"We don't eat it as spicy," Isuzu nodded at his slight grimace. "But we actually love Chinese foods. We probably have just as many Chinese restaurants as we do Japanese ones back home. I'd bet if a Chinese chef wanted to go open a restaurant on Yamato, he'd get lots of good business, though I'm not sure we could offer the same ingredients one might need. We took a long time finding the flavors of Japan in Yamato. It tastes like it might have taken them just as long to come up with the flavors of China."

"I'm just glad they found flavors at all," Touya said, still stuffing his mouth with the Chinese noodles intermingled with the vegetables and chicken. "Wouldn't that have been horrible, to come visit and learn they hadn't discovered flavors yet?"

Tetorō shuddered and so did Naotsugu. "I wonder if I can buy some to take home to Marie?" Naotsugu wondered. "She'd love to taste some real Chinese, too."

"Now, that's a good idea!" Tetorō said. "I think I might have to do that, too. How much to pay a chef to make ten meals all at once, do you think?"

"More than you've got," the waiter said, dropping off more drinks for them, "but I'll let them know you're appreciating it."

"Please do," Minori said with a smile. "Touya and I have been learning to cook, too, so we know how much goes into preparing the food."

"Oh? Did you bring food here from Yamato?"

They all nodded. "Yes. We weren't sure what we'd find here before heading out for the dungeon we want to explore. Besides, dungeons always take a lot of food since we don't go out and hunt in the middle of them."

"That's true," the waiter nodded and continued on his rounds of the room. He disappeared into the back kitchen and a few minutes later a dwarf came out, wiping his hands.

He looked around the room, scanning statuses, then trotted over to their grouping. They'd already scanned his status as well, noting he was a Druid. "I hear you lot are from over on Yamato and are appreciating our dishes?"

"Very much so," Naotsugu answered respectfully. "Chinese flavors are distinctly delicious and have been missing since the catastrophe."

"I'm a Japanese transplant in China for work. You wouldn't be willing to do a trade?" Minori and Touya both looked at him with extreme interest.

"I'd be willing to trade a couple of extra flavorings I brought for some of the flavorings of China, if you'd be willing to let me have some," Minori said.

Touya pulled out a small bowl of udon with mushrooms and roast boar and handed it to the chef. He pulled out a pair of what were probably his favorite chopsticks, his mouth watering as his eyes looked hungrily at the food. The warmth of the bowl was lifting smells to his nose he'd not smelled in probably over four years.

As he slurped up the first bite, he made a small noise of pleasure. It was gone very quickly. "Yes. The tastes and foods of home are surely the best there are," he said handing the bowl back to Tetorō. "Thank you very much."

He went into his list and pulled out four bottles. "Chili oil, sesame oil, teriyaki, and black bean paste."

Minori quickly got into her list and put four bottles on the table. "Miso paste, soy sauce, sweet rice vinegar, bonito flakes."

The chef's eyes lit up. "Even trade?"

"Sure. Even trade." Both piles disappeared.

Touya's eyes got crafty. "Well...I've already given you a taste of home...but for something good...I'll offer one of my personal favorites - hard to give up - mayonnaise."

"No! You figured it out? Do you have the recipe? And is it standard mayonnaise or is it okonomiyaki mayo?" The dwarf was wringing his hands in anticipation.

"Do you have cabbage?" Minori asked.

He bobbed his head up and down. "Loads and it grieves me to not be able to make okonomiyaki with it. It just hasn't been right without the sweetened soy and the right mayonnaise, though the teriyaki gets close to the sweetened soy."

The twins looked at each other, then at Tetorō. He gave them a shrug. "I'd say go for it," Naotsugu said from his place as casually as he could. Isuzu agreed with a quiet, "Mm."

"Can we hire you out from the store for a month or less?" Touya asked, "If we promise you'll learn all the recipes we've learned in Yamato, and if you'll promise to teach us all the ones you've learned here? We have a few chefs, our teachers, who have the recipes you want. We're still learning them.

"We could use a dedicated chef who knows the ingredients of the area while we're in the dungeon. I'd be willing to give you a bottle of my mayo as a down payment on the agreement. We won't be leaving for a few more days so you have time to see about getting permission to expand your menu listing that way. We're on the Ocypete at the port for now."

The dwarf was dancing now from foot to foot, just a little, and still wringing his hands. "Oh. Oh. That sounds ...like ...heaven really." He bit his lip, then swung around and ran back into the kitchen.

"Do you think he'd be willing to learn some American dishes?" Gareth asked. "Most of Lady Purrcy's are American."

"Most likely he'd be willing to learn anything," Minori said with a smile. "Most chefs do. I don't know if their tastes run American, though."

Training wrinkled his nose. "Not even the Japanese like true American. It has to be flavored different or include cabbage. The only thing we can really agree on is barbecue."

"We like the pancakes," Isuzu disagreed.

"Well, and those," Training allowed.

"We've been spoiled having both a Japanese chef and an American one in house," P/R nodded. "We get the best of both cuisines. Adding in Chinese would be a nice bonus."

"I know, right?" Isuzu was happy.

"Did you spend time in China?" Tetorō asked her.

"Yes," she acknowledged a little reluctantly. She didn't like to say much about her past. "Dad was good enough to get a few gigs over here and brought me with him over one summer break to be a roady. I got used to the flavors then, so it's fun to taste them again." She looked down and Rudy and Naotsugu looked at her sympathetically. "It was the only time I really got to spend with him...that one summer. It was good to see just how much hard work goes into being a pop idol."

She looked out the window, then said quietly, "I think that's what finally decided me, that I wasn't going to go professional. It was hard enough to not have him around. To know that I'd be giving up family _and_  my own will half the time just to meet the expectations of the fans and the producers didn't seem worth it."

She looked down again and sighed. "It was still really hard to give up my love for music, though. ...I'm glad Hahaue encouraged me to do it just for me and reminded me that the joy inside is worth keeping alive. I don't have to give up my love for music just because I don't want to give up other things that are important to me.

"That's what I've learned since coming here to Theldesia. It's a good thing to learn." Her voice had gone to a whisper. Rudy put his hand on her shoulder briefly until they were interrupted by an excited Dwarf chef.

"The head chef will let me go and learn the recipes. There are enough people here who like the flavors of Japan that we could open an exclusive shop for a while."

Tetorō nodded. "There would be a market for trade between the cities of Akiba and Shangtzi, then, to at least exchange flavorings and maybe a few choice ingredients. We're here to open trade between Yamato and China. Shopping District 8 will be opening a store in the next few days. Keep your eyes open for the grand opening. I think they've sent a few bottles of the sauces over to see if people like them, so that would be your source to get more. Do you know who we could place orders from to get the standard Chinese flavorings to take some back with us when we go?"

The Dwarf looked worried. Naotsugu raised his hand, to ward off his concern. "Our guildmaster has already negotiated with the city government to put into place the proper trade treaty and agreements. We're just excited to find a product exchange so quickly, if you think it would work."

"Well, if you've already got the approval of the governing body, then that wouldn't be so bad, perhaps," he relaxed a little.

"Oh, hey," H/R sat up, "I just remembered, Lady Purrcy said that my super spicy barbecue rub might be appreciated better over here." He motioned the chef over and put a container on the table in front of him. "Careful. We found the plant this comes from by accident, when we got too low on foodstuff outside a dungeon. About killed us trying to eat it like a pepper, even roasted, which is sort of what it looks like, but in really small doses in powdered form, it's like a hot chili powder. How similar is it to what you use in your chili oil?"

The chef carefully removed the lid and tasted a bare grain of it. He pulled out another bottle of his hot chili oil and put a drop of it on the tip of H/R's chopstick to taste. "Hmm...different, but just as hot. This is more smooth, but the one we found is more smoky. Interesting. Well...if you're interested, Shopping District 8 will be selling our hot powder in small doses, too. You might see how that changes your flavorings." He grinned. "You've become rather Chinese in flavor yourself if you can eat things this hot. They won't touch it over there."

"Well...it's not my favorite," the Dwarf admitted, "but one has to get used to the flavors of a region."

"True," H/R agreed, putting his powder away. "I enjoyed the meal today. Getting robust flavor is a treat."

"Are you from Korea?" the Dwarf asked. "They like things hot, too."

"Mmmm...I do love Korean food," H/R closed his eyes and rubbed his stomach. "Can't eat anything for about a half a day after that, but...yum!" He winked at the chef.

"He's the only one," P/R glared at H/R a little. "The rest of us have to ask them to tone it down. But his barbecue rub with that hot powder...that's pretty awesome."

"Do you trade with them, too?" H/R asked. "I'd love to get my hands on some of their spices."

"There are a few ships that come in," the Dwarf nodded his head, "and there's a small market for both the cuisine and the spices." They got into a discussion on where the local Korean restaurant was. When the chef returned to the kitchen, promising to come to the Ocypete when his shift was over the next day, the others firmly told H/R they were _not_  going to eat at the Korean restaurant. They would walk past it long enough for him to negotiate with the chef, however.

When they were mostly alone again, they went through a summary meeting. "In the end," Minori sighed, "on the surface it feels like Nakasu. Tentative, everyone walking on eggshells, not quite sure when the dog's going to bite or if it's finally decided to be friendly. Still, living life like normal and being as happy as they can be while doing it."

Touya nodded. "Umhm, and under that, in the shadows and the dark windows, it feels worse than Akiba before the Round Table. As if you aren't careful, those who exploit are going to reach out of that darkness and grab you and drag you into a slaver guild." The three who'd lived through Hamelin shuddered.

"I would have to sadly agree with your assessments," Rudy said. "Witnessing what that official said and did was very much not in alignment with a government that wants the best for its citizens."

"And yet, they are concerned that everyone have some level of positive existence, or they wouldn't have opened the food for work program," Isuzu gave the counterpoint.

"Depends on the kind of work," Tetorō answered cynically. They had to agree. It wasn't possible to know unless they signed up, too, and they weren't about to.

"Whulp," Naotsugu rose to his feet, bringing Rudy and Isuzu up as well. "Let's get a move on before we're questioned for sitting here too long. We'll meet back up on the way out to the docks. If you need anything, holler."

"You got it," Tetorō answered, sitting back with his hands behind his head. The Eagles had already left in their turns.

At the sound of the door bell, the Dwarf chef hurried out of the kitchen door, looked around, and came for the last three, seeming relieved. "I can't come."

"Even if we bring the papers by to prove the trade agreement?" Tetorō asked, not surprised.

The Dwarf hesitated, glancing at the kitchen door. "Maybe." He turned and headed back.

The three didn't stay much longer, the closing of the door behind them cutting off the sound of the bell. "I hope he isn't in too much trouble," Minori said as they started walking down the street, a worry frown on her face.

"How hard should we fight for the one?" Tetorō asked musingly.

"...He was originally a native." Touya hesitantly offered.

"Hmm... but a single jail break could trash the entire trade and peace agreements," Tetorō answered back mildly. The twins both looked disappointed. "Well...we'll take it back up to the top and see where it goes from there," Tetorō promised. They nodded.

It was the best they could do. If Shiroe wanted to take on Shangtzi like he had the others, that was up to him. It would likely take just as long as Minami, too, if not longer. This was just the initial exploratory expedition, after all.

They sighed and let it go and got back to work. At the very least, they might have opened up the possibility for the sale of the flavors of Yamato, and the homesick Dwarf chef had gotten a taste of home to warm him. Often it was those small things that opened the door for the bigger things to happen.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe, Nyanta, Michael, Reed, KR, and Akatsuki were standing back, being slightly entertained, slightly worried, and were more than a little in awe. Purrcy was going toe to toe not with just a Cunie - who were hard to negotiate with to begin with - but with a stubborn government official as well, who didn't want the foreign shop in Shangtzi at all.

She had up a visual chat screen with MarketMaker as well, so that he was helping her in the negotiations. He was the reconciliator as the person who would be responsible for the store. She was being the pressure, who would only cave when MarketMaker made a concession. They were on their fourth building offer in a row, Purrcy and Nyanta having arrived after their walk about town to select several options that might work.

Purrcy had started out demanding an existing store with a front right on the main market way, saying that their store would bring in more income to the city in taxes because of the exotic products that they offered. After all, if this city really was the metropolis it claimed to be on the surface, the residents were already wealthy enough to enjoy such exotic products and would be proud to have them in their homes or use them personally.

That had been countered with a firm polite, "no" in that they couldn't just force a long established company out for an unproven, unheard of newcomer. And since they hadn't even proven they were trustworthy, they could have the crappy building that needed massive repairs out on the outskirts of town.

Purrcy had nearly stormed out then, throwing a proper high-class fit and threatening to tear down the Government building and put her ten story high rise full-on mall in its place. After all if a governing body couldn't understand the advantages of profits from taxes and the exchange of personal property for increasing wealth of a city's residents, they didn't need to keep wasting the citizen's money taking care of a building they couldn't afford. (Thus insinuating that the governing body of Shangtzi was incompetent and destitute...which it probably would be if it wasn't using the slave labor of its citizens to keep going.) The eyes of everyone around them had grown large, since she didn't bother to keep her tirade private.

MarketMaker had placated her, saying that was certainly unreasonable and a better place could surely be found than where the government needed to be to function properly. And besides, they weren't quite ready for the sprawling mall. Surely the twelve story building that was already half renovated she'd told him about would be sufficient.

"And leave the rest of the repairs up to who knows whom? Or leave it in disrepair to make it look like we're a shabby company? I don't think so," she'd scoffed back. "It has to be a building that is in complete repair and ready to house our wonderful products. We've brought things that are for the benefit of all and we want to showcase every one of them to their greatest effect so Adventurers who come here from all over the region can be assured they know what they're getting is of highest quality production and will give them the results they can expect from such attention to detail from our crafters. I'll not have their efforts put to shame by the environment we must show them off in."

MarketMaker's brow furrowed in worry. "Yes, I understand Lady Purrcy, but remember, this is Theldesia, not Earth. It isn't that easy to get the buildings back into repair, particularly the large ones. Maybe if you could accept one that is a bit shorter, not so many floors, perhaps?" He'd turned to the two representatives from Shangtzi and asked them to suggest another alternative that might meet those requirements, his face showing a little of his desperation to find a proper resolution.

They'd suggested a place and Purrcy had been willing to consider it, until she looked at its location and had gone off on another tirade again, it being in the warehouse and crafter district itself when she wanted it in the market district where all _shoppers_  went, not all _workers_. Their crafters were already in Yamato and not willing to come all the way across the sea to be settled in a city they might come play in but not live in.

She suddenly turned on the government official at that point and asked point blank, "Or do you also not understand the value of tourism, and the tourism coin? To put my products where your tourists won't even go won't even give you the taxes that could be raised from them."

She came full stop and looked at him with wide eyes. "Oh, wait. Perhaps you're all young enough to not even realize the value of taxes to begin with. Not heavy, oppressive taxes that makes everyone angry, but the light level that brings in a steady stream of income, and increases with increasing sales of products and increasing tourism, and the like? Have any of you had the economics lessons to explain that to you yet?

"Perhaps I should offer my services as an economic consultant, first. I charge four hundred gold per hour, if you're interested, though if you'd be willing to consider a reasonable location for my company, I might be willing to offer a discount for the first two hours." That one had finally floored Shiroe. Her audacity had reached levels he couldn't hope to ever reach. Michael had to walk away and have a coughing fit in a corner two minutes later so it didn't seem connected to her words.

"What would you consider a reasonable location?" the government official had seemed to wilt under that last bit.

"At the very least, somewhere that the general population can get to easily, in a quiet area of town would be acceptable if it was mostly crime-free. But it has to be on a beaten path. It can't be hard to get to or a place people are afraid to go.

"It _definitely_  has to have at _least_  five stories so that when the caravans come here to leave from here, the personnel can have rooms to stay in and the main floor has to have warehouse space in the back, or space that can be made to be warehouse space, both to house the train when it's back here for restocking, and for the product that will go out with it. The first two or three floors will all be product, of course."

"That's rather an impossible combination," the Cunie interjected.

Purrcy pursed her lips and looked at him sternly, her whiskers standing out on end. MarketMaker quickly answered, "Yes, it likely is. I'm sure that would be the best of all worlds, but it isn't required. If we could continue to have warehouse 12A at the dock for the majority of the product and the train, we wouldn't need that for the store, surely.

"A smaller section for preparing the product on the main floor in the back, plus the storefront, and the first one or two floors above that for further products would be sufficient. The warehouse also has rooms over it for the caravan personnel. They can be divided in location as well as scope, I would think."

The government official went a bit consternated at that. Now there was a negotiation for two locations, when only one had been agreed to before.

Purrcy waved her hand. "We'd have to rent the dockside warehouse, MarketMaker, you know that. We've only brought enough to pay for one store today. The warehouse is certainly a convenient location and if a pier could be built out from it specifically for our own vessels, that might make it worth our while to consider, but it's much easier to defend our product from thieves when they are all in one location and our personnel with them.

"If it were possible, however, to rent the warehouse exclusively, then I might be willing to consider a three or four story building. It has to have enough room for sleeping quarters for the store manager and maybe three more at a minimum and a kitchen for them all. Occasionally we send over officials of the Corporation and they will need sleeping accommodations."

She considered, then reached for the zone book, took it without a by-your-leave from the Cunie, and flipped through it until she pointed triumphantly at one and showed the government official. "This one might be acceptable, as it's in a quiet neighborhood but near the grocers so that people have to pass by it on their way for food daily. Most of our products are meant to be purchased by the same set of customers, being daily use items and department store items, although there are the odd items specifically for Adventurers that they could purchase on their way out of town from home if they wanted.

"It's one floor less than I would like, but has already been fixed up in the main. It only needs a few minor repairs we could finish before leaving the city for our game at the dungeon. Also, because it's close enough to the People of the Land neighborhood, we could easily find some women willing to help in the shop before we have to go, I should think, and if any Adventurers are lazy enough to not want to leave town, they could apply, I'm sure. MarketMaker will be handling hiring." She'd waved her hand at said person, the book having been retrieved by the Cunie to see which building she had selected.

They were now deep into negotiation on that proposition and the government official was loosing badly. Even the Cunie was struggling to hold to the requirement of the game structure of Theldesia. When Purrcy noticed that was the main sticking point, she glided over to Nyanta and pulled him over to look at the building and went toe to toe with the World AI to completely get rid of the restriction on the firm costs of zones set by the game _Elder Tales_.

She pulled in Izanami to argue with her, too, until she not only had an agreement with the Cunie that the cost of the zone could be lessened because money had already been put into paying for it and fixing it up, but that the possibility of leasing the warehouse to own it in ten years would be acceptable as well.

"Only Purrcy," Shiroe whispered to Akatsuki. Her eyes looked widely into his and she nodded, both of them in awe that Purrcy would have accomplished so much for Shiroe's own goals in this one instance. If those restrictions were broken for these two buildings, they were broken for the entirety of Theldesia.

At the end of the negotiation, Purrcy put her hand on the head of the Cunie and he glowed for about two seconds. Then Nyanta shook his hand and he "rebooted". All Cunie in Theldesia would now have the knowledge necessary to create loans and leases and for some level of negotiation on the prices of zones and other things they controlled. Purrcy signed the ownership document and handed him the gold. He bowed to the two of them and gave Purrcy the key.

Then Purrcy turned and shook hands with the government official. "Thank you for allowing us to do business in your city. I'm absolutely positive you will not regret having allowed Shopping District 8 and the Corporation of Akiba to offer their products to you and your citizens ...and hopefully your tourists.

"Once again, if you and your fellow officials need a proper economics lesson, I'm available on the Ocypete for a few more days until we leave for more fun adventures. Since you were willing to be reasonable, my hourly rate will be half - two hundred gold per hour - or perhaps you could hire MarketMaker for one hundred or Shiroe for fifty. They also have a somewhat solid grasp of economics and the running of businesses and cities. Have a good day."

She led Nyanta and the rest of their group out the door of the Guild Hall, stopped at the top step, and said brightly to Shiroe. "So, when do I get to introduce you and MarketMaker to the population of Shangtzi?"

"You'll introduce us?" he asked.

"Of course. I've just made myself firmly the person in charge, and him the point of contact, and you as the one who will make everything right for the city, as usual. It will be the only time my face has to ever be seen on screen in this city and that once will be more than sufficient."

Shiroe sighed to himself. She was absolutely correct. And as she should, she would be as sunny and saleswoman-like as Marie. "Are you sure you're not really in your element?" he asked her.

"I am," she said calmly. "The element I always wished I could have been in. Isn't that what playing the game was all about to begin with? Being able to be strong and verbally wily when reality was the opposite? I'll play at being that strong here, and maybe if I get home I'll be able to trail some of that strength behind me like small clouds of glory to call my own and protect what I love there also."

Shiroe stared at her, then stepped over and wrapped an arm around her. "For your sake, Hahaue, I hope that happens also. ...I really do."

"Thank you," she answered quietly, "but you'll undo me if you don't let go."

"Right," he pulled away. "Opposite's harder to maintain. Sorry."

She waved a hand, mostly in front of her face to prevent the tears that wouldn't fall anyway. "No. I appreciate the sentiment. ...So when is it?"

"We'll go over to the Adventurer Hall next, though we have about a half hour or so," Shiroe said, getting them walking down the stairs. "Thank you for your other efforts, by the way. I hope the government official isn't too caught off guard by the reprogramming of the Cunie."

"He won't remember it. That's why I shook his hand. That little tiny bit got erased."

"Okay, but --"

"I know. You don't like the erasing of Adventurer memories. I'm trying to keep it to a minimum. We want out of town fast and as long as no one fights to slow us down, we won't have any large ones. Izanagi wanted us to just load the train and exit the city and erase everyone's memory we'd been here at all." Shiroe froze and glared at her.

"Yes, I know," she said, placating him. "Izanami is in agreement that we have to have at least some of the game play or it isn't real for us and for everyone else. That point won him over since the marketing sub-quest is partly his, too. I'm still working hard for everyone also, Shiroe." He relented but still, it hurt.

"Do your best to have this place more Adventurer friendly before we go, too, please," Purrcy requested. "There isn't much time for that side-quest either, and this is a difficult city. You do realize I put you as the least cost not because you are worth the least, I hope."

"No, I understood that," he answered. "I've got to get the data from the juniors before I can face them, but if they schedule it for sometime tomorrow, that would be fine." His face fell a little. "I just hope I don't get into trouble for announcing the world quests first. That would probably go smoother if it was after that negotiation, and MarketMaker would probably like a day to prepare the store and move into it."

"He got people moving product as soon as we got the approval," she said a bit distantly. "If you really need the additional time, I could rewrite the book to say tomorrow this time instead of today."

"Would you, please?" he asked, a bit resigned to the fact that the Game Bot was going to be putting its fingers into this more than it should, but it wasn't wrong. If they wanted to move faster they should take the cheats Purrcy loved so well. That got his mind working towards what other cheats they could take advantage of, although if he requested them they'd likely have a cost attached unless he could roll on his Negotiation high enough. "How is he getting people into the city to transport product?"

"I've put the limits up. All the guildmasters and he as well, already have passes in their pockets to use when they want. He's not shy and is using his. Nakalnad's in town with his set to check it out and Brody followed them in, being used to breaking the rules in cities led by corrupt officials.

"Isaac's sent in his team already when we came in and is content to stay outside helping MarketMaker from the ship to get the product and all off. He'll use his when things are finally off the ship and they need more hands between there and the shop, although he's sent in six who are Technicians or have construction experience from Michitaka's group to get the repairs completed.

"We're still holding to the three person limit per group and Izanagi's keeping himself happy keeping everyone who would care we're over the twenty-four limit confused, although it's in the books so it's legal if they cross-check. Since that means he has to be creative, that requirement helped. It's the best I could do to keep his interference to a minimum. I've made it perfectly clear that if he interferes in the negotiations we're sitting it out and slowing it back down."

She looked at Shiroe and grinned. "Actually it's not that bad. It's just been made to read 'twenty-four per guild' that came over in the Ocypete. Since a number of them are unaffiliated or from smaller guilds all of those get in free, so to speak. And you can claim they had either a miscommunication with their subordinates or they were forgetful with their busy lives and said it themselves." That did help.

Shiroe considered the other sub-quests they were to be working on. "Ah, ...Crusty and Kanami. We need to fit them in, still. I was hoping to do them tomorrow, actually."

Purrcy's eyes turned to focus more on the Adventurer Hall. "We'll find information there. We can continue into the building to get the date change set in the receptionist's mind. She still expects to see you today. They track everyone who's gone out and in and what adventure they're on, after all."

"Right," Shiroe nodded. He should have asked when he was there before. They entered the Adventurer Hall now, and headed for the reception desk.

Unlike in Yamato, here in Shangtzi the governing body had set up the hall specifically for those Adventurers who actually wanted to still go adventuring. In Yamato it was the same building that was the Technology building in Minami or the enclosed mall in Akiba - open, wide, and much like a convention hall.

Here in Shangtzi, tables and chairs were set up all over, a few food booths were around the edges and quite a few equipment repair shops were set up all over with a few appraisers who purchased items, and in the center was a kiosk that had three receptionists. One handled recording all the requests for Adventurers and adding them to the request book. One handled showing requests to the Adventurers and signing them up to go out on them and recorded when they returned and what drops they received, or told them who to go pick up their reward from. The third handled general information questions, data exchange, and the like. It was to her that Shiroe took them.

It wasn't uncommon when new quests were added to the books for the quest giver to announce them publicly at times set aside during the day for that purpose. For the larger quests that required high numbers of Adventurers to participate, it was the preferred way, actually. The Adventurers would gather just before that time to listen to the verbal listings and decide which ones they wanted to participate in. It made for chaos at the sign-up kiosk right after, but it worked rather well, actually.

"Why don't we do this in Akiba?" Purrcy asked. "I like this method."

"The larger quests are taken directly to the guilds," Shiroe answered. "And if it's too big for that, they do the open request on the permanent stage. We started out that way and it's kind of stuck. We could formalize it, but it hasn't seemed necessary."

His group had gotten looks on the way in before. Now it was getting them again, and Purrcy on Nyanta's arm most of them. It was rare to see a noblewoman in European dress in this hall, even if she was an Adventurer. The total number of female Adventurers in Shangtzi was also rather small comparatively. Most female Chinese players would have likely hidden themselves in the game as males.

"Since you were here before, should I handle asking after your friends?" Purrcy asked him quietly.

"I can do that," Nyanta said smoothly. "It would make more sense from me."

"Very well," Purrcy settled into being an observer. Shiroe stopped by the third desk to confirm the date change quickly, then returned to stand with the others at the second.

"We've come to play again," Nyanta said to the receptionist at the center desk. "We'd like to play with Kanami-chan's group, but we need to know when they'll be back. Can mew tell us where they've gone and the expected return date?"

"Ah, yes," the receptionist flipped through her book a few pages, then turned pages slowly as she scanned the lines. "Here they are. They've gone to take care of another Overwritten attack to the southwest. But, holding to their current speed and record, and based on the observed number of enemies, they should be arriving back in two days at the longest."

"Marrvellous," Nyanta said. "Please let her know that her friends have arrived and are looking forward to meeting with her and giving her the next quest purrsonally. She should find it quite acceptable. She'll have all the Overwritten to smash she could ever desire. We really didn't want to leave her team out of the game."

"Certainly," the receptionist made a note under their line item. "Where shall I say they should meet you?"

"The Ocypete at dock six," Nyanta answered. "Tell her Crusty must absolutely be with her as her ticket to get on board."

"Yes, sir," the receptionist answered, noting that also. "He's been looking bored. She almost didn't talk him into going with her this time."

"Then we're just in time, no?" Nyanta purred. "He also won't refuse this quest. Tell him he'll learn something new he's never known before...purrobably several somethings. That might make him more willing so she doesn't knock him out and carry him to us."

Purrcy frowned at him. "He can't know about the AIs yet."

Nyanta looked at her. "I think he will still learn some very interesting things to catch his attention, regardless."

She looked away. "If you say so."

Their business done, they turned away from the kiosk. They were a third of the way back to the door when they heard from nearby a drawling, mocking voice. "So, what business brings the Debauchery Tea Party back to Shangtzi to beg the assistance of their fearless leader? And even more...," a burly man with an ax strapped to his back stood up and moved into their way to stare at Purrcy, folding his arms at her, "what is the infamous woman hater doing with a fancy woman on his arm?"

Purrcy returned the favor of the stare, nothing showing of her expression on face or in fur. "Purrcy, this is Pontius. He's a contemporary of the Debauchery Tea Party, one who tried to follow in our footsteps and generally failed, though he certainly gave it a good showing most times." Nyanta calmly introduced him to her.

"He's a little more than that, to know of those rumors and believe they are true," Purrcy said mildly. "Have you been enjoying your time in the male form, then?" Pontius turned red with anger. "I'm sure Nyanta-san wouldn't have been quite so complementary to have known back then you were the first one he rejected. Truly, can you even learn respect for others? If I am walking with him it's because he's chosen it, not I."

Purrcy held her ground regally. "Your slander on the web thereafter was quite horrible to be sure and set the pattern for all the women who followed after you who had as much fun torturing him as you would have if you could have had the courage to try again. Please move lest I have to take you to task in more firmness. I have no wish to stand in your company."

"Goodness, Purrcy," Shiroe stepped up next to her, pushing up his glasses. "I don't think I've ever heard you so angry before."

"And why shouldn't I be," she asked highly. "This person is the one who has made it so that even I, who know how to be a lady and respect the rights of a man to his own life and privacy, must pay the price she left behind her. To have damaged the reputation of a man who was merely always a gentleman is the lowest of all acts to take on the internet. If there is a better price for her to pay than to be stuck in a man's body, then I'd be happy to take requests."

"Is she originally from China, then?" Shiroe asked.

"Yes. I'm sure she was trying to get revenge for something other than him at the beginning, and merely took it too far." Purrcy glared at the now almost stammering axe-man. "An apology might be a beginning, however her entire guild would have to be included in that, since the ones who joined her were all those willing to carry on the lies, slander, and even continue to harm his tender relationship with his wife." Chairs scraped back from the nearby tables and six others rose to stand threatening.

"Really," Shiroe said calmly. "They all had to band together to be able to even attempt to defeat one Swashbuckler? And yet he withstood against them all. What a shame. Have they learned their lessons yet?"

"Perhaps, if they have the courage to apologize," she answered him.

"And you will believe this upstart of a newcomer?" Pontius finally recovered with his companions around him.

"Absolutely," Shiroe answered.

"What proof do you have that she even knows what she's talking about?"

"This is the Game Moderator of Yamato," Shiroe said quietly, "and she still has access to the game database. ...And, I'd already noticed that Nyanta-san got the most quiet to us and the most attacked by the likes of you, when you and your guild were chasing after us. Were you aliasing as females but actually males, or were you aliasing as males and actually females as she has accused you?"

He got angry scowls and clenched hands. "Shiroe, ...while we have this opportunity, ...may I offer my husband a gift?" Purrcy asked.

That got reactions from all of them that confirmed her claim since they were completely disbelieving of that title. Shiroe looked at Nyanta. "It's your opportunity. Would you like to take it?"

Nyanta's ear twitched. "Really, a gentleman would reject such an opportunity...normally." They didn't get to relax. "However, when his honor is at stake, he reserves the right to cleanse his name and punish those who have been dishonorable children too long. I would be happy to accept such a gift from mew, dear wife." He didn't look at Purrcy, keeping his focus on the people in front of him.

She bowed slightly. "Since to lift a sword against a female is less than ideal, I will grant you to keep the illusion of being male; however, I think Nyanta-san would find it extremely useful to know your screen names." She waved her free hand and over their heads appeared in glowing letters their respective female screen names, identifying Nyanta's tormentors.

She released him and stepped closer to Shiroe. Nyanta's pupils were slits and his cane was gone. In his hands were the brother rapiers. "When you've sent them to the Cathedral, and they resurrect, they will be the proper gender and title," she said calmly. Their entire group stood quietly waiting as Nyanta sent them, one by one, to the Cathedral, playing longest with the two who had paired up against him at the end.

"You didn't interfere to protect him," Shiroe confirmed with Purrcy.

"Of course not. What kind of lady takes away from the strength and grace of her husband when he has the strength on his own to defend his honor? My revenge will come after they resurrect, and is the proper revenge of a lady as well. One where their own acts convict them and come back to haunt them, all without me having touched them at all." She was calmly pleased.

Nyanta's rapiers disappeared as he landed in front of them, going to one knee. He took Purrcy's hand in his and kissed the back of it. "Thank mew, Lady Wife. It was a delicious gift, meow."

"You're very welcome. It was fortuitous that we've arrived at a time I could grant it to you. I hope it helps you somewhat into the future, ...though," she pulled him up to stand close to her, eye to eye, "please don't let it make you decide to become sickeningly nice and sweet, or I shall miss our own repartee."

Nyanta gave her an evil smile. "Now why would I go and decide to stop having fun just because I happened to run into a few old ...flames." Purrcy laughed as Nyanta purred and tucked her hand back in his elbow and they continued on towards the door.

As they neared it, Shiroe asked, "So, am I going to have to calm the proletariat down for that, too?"

"Just setting my reputation, Shiroe," she answered calmly. "I need to be able to stand with your old group in the eyes of others, even if I am a newcomer, or my taking control in the Guild Hall will be too odd."

"Stand with...," he said faintly.

KR laughed. "You did that back in Minami, Purrcy, when you bested Indicus."

Purrcy gave a little dismissive hiss to go along with the flick of her tail and her ear. "KR, she was the least of you, and easy to beat for her own pride. I've been doing my best to walk with Shiroe and I still can't match Nyanta. Soujirou is tricky and I'm still trying to learn where I stand with him. You've been a dear and let me walk with you for a long time, and Kazuhiko is the same. Perhaps it will be enough to meet Kanami and gift her the battle of her life. If I should win her favor with that, then we shall all be able to move forward quite nicely."

"Are there any more of the Debauchery Tea Party on Theldesia?" Shiroe asked her.

Purrcy turned her head towards him but wasn't looking at him. "...Perhaps. Shall we ask Kanami to go find out?"

"Is that what you want her for? To go on the train?" Shiroe asked.

"Yes."

"...Very well."

"China has appreciated having her be it's caretaker while she was here, though," Purrcy said almost as a side comment. She held her hand out and it looked like a bird sat on it, although it was more just a little sparkle of light.

Shiroe glanced about the sky. It was nearing evening and the moon was in the sky. "Is that our key?" he asked.

"Yes," Purrcy said. "She's recognized me as a kindred spirit. We're going, very soon. Will you come with us?" The little light sank into the wedding ring on Purrcy's hand and she lowered it.

"Well, then things are nearly ready," Shiroe said taking Akatsuki's hand in his. "Shall we return to the Ocypete?" They turned their feet towards the ocean and the docks. "I think I'll bring you to the negotiations," he mused. "It should be quite entertaining, even if all you do is sit in a side chair and drink tea."

"Whatever you need me for, of course," Purrcy answered demurely, twirling her parasol on her shoulder. They walked a little longer, then she leaned over and kissed Akatsuki's head. "Little mother, you are doing very wonderfully. Thank you. ...I still want to see the two of you dance sometime."

It took about forty seconds for Akatsuki to turn pink. Shiroe held her hand tightly, in complete agreement. Even Akatsuki was doing well keeping up with them, although she was in his shadow. He lifted her hand and kissed the back of it, letting his eyes talk to hers while he tucked her hand in his elbow to hold her a little closer. She finally relaxed and leaned her head on his arm. He relaxed and enjoyed the little walk back to their temporary home.

The juniors met up with them as they arrived at the lane that led to the docks and they walked as a guild back to the ship and up the gangplank. KR relaxed with a slump. "Can I go rest, now?" he asked. "That was really hard to let Purrcy do whatever she wanted when I was her Summoner. The reverse really felt true, honestly. Let's pretend I've summoned her from now on, okay?"

Shiroe smiled. "Thank you, KR. Yes, we can, except during the battle, but next time don't summon her the second time."

"I didn't," KR said. "It lasts that long."

"You were really weak back then," Isuzu said to Purrcy.

"Yes," she agreed. "I really was. It was so irritating I cried for about three days until he managed to cajole me with the promise he'd be nice - most of the time."

"You can't cry," Touya scolded her. Purrcy looked at him, challenge in her eyes. KR put his hands over his ears and Purrcy began to wail most pitiful kitten cries of loss and sorrow. Touya waved both hands in apology. "No, really, please stop. It's enough."

Purrcy slowly let them die down and looked at him solemnly. "Just because I hold them in when I'm with family, doesn't mean I don't have them."

He slumped. "Sorry." She rubbed his head.

"You can go, KR," Shiroe excused him and he slumped off to his cabin - most likely getting rid of his shoes on the way. He was limping a bit with new blisters on his heels from wearing the shoes all day when he normally wore sandals most of the time. "Shall we go to my office first? We have a lot of things to discuss."

Everyone trooped off and soon were sitting around the room - including the Intelligence detail this time - some of them eating from their own bowls and plates whatever they pulled out of their own lists. Shiroe's guild list wouldn't be dug into until they were at the Maze of Eternity. They'd decided that it would be easiest for this part of the dungeon for everyone to carry their own meals.

Buying meals in towns and cities helped them go further and was a nice change of pace. Shiroe had enjoyed his own almost-date with Akatsuki today and it had sounded like Nyanta and Purrcy had enjoyed theirs. They were being very couple-ish this afternoon. Naotsugu was obviously missing Marielle, but was holding up okay. He'd be better after talking to her at their usual time this evening.

Shiroe looked around the room at the rest of them and settled on Minori and Touya. "We'll have the twins start tonight," he said kindly. It was a difficult city and they'd been affected the most, it looked like. It would help them recover faster to get their worry out into the open.

They looked at each other, sighed, and Touya said, a little sadly, "We almost got a Chinese chef to come with us to teach Nyanta-san and Miss Purrcy his recipes in exchange for him getting to learn the Japanese ones. He's a transplant because of work and he loved my udon. I was happy he was able to at least enjoy that much."

"He and I exchanged flavors," Minori put the four she'd received on the table to display them. "He was sad to be told by the government agent he couldn't go after his boss said he could."

Purrcy, Nyanta, and Shiroe all looked at each other. Shiroe couldn't quite hold back his interest and Nyanta's ears were just as extremely interested. Purrcy nodded.

"We'll negotiate for him tomorrow," Shiroe promised them. "It should be a small thing, now that Purrcy's set her reputation. I want to hear what all of you learned so I can get my arguments in order, but she's already set me up to win in one." Mouths dropped open, then turned into great smiles. The rest of the meeting was very lively after that.


	51. Battle for Shangtzi

KR knocked on Shiroe's door and was summoned in. He took a breath and opened the door. His personal feelings about the strategist were mixed. It wouldn't be surprising to anyone, really. They were often on the opposite side of the table from each other as it were. KR didn't stand in Shiroe's way when he got really moving on his super-train paths. It wasn't worth it. He would win in the end either way. Most of the time KR wasn't bothered by Shiroe either in what he did. They were more often orthogonal than in each other's way.

Shiroe was never one to hide his personal disdain for certain behaviors. It often came out as disdain for a particular person, but it really wasn't that. Generally for individuals he was rather forgiving, knowing that everyone was directed by different motivations and didn't always choose their lives or how they ended up, and really he couldn't be bothered to care most of the time as well. But he couldn't disguise his disgust or distastes for certain patterns of behavior.

KR understood that Shiroe hadn't really cared that he'd disappeared from the ship, and really hadn't been all that surprised either. It had been merely an inconvenience and an understanding that KR preferred to be a free spirit.

That was probably what KR didn't like about Shiroe. That dealing with people like him was inconvenient and mechanical. "Come back, be good, sit here - or else this fully distasteful punishment that I know will control your innate compulsions, and this reward for staying and sitting that I know you can't refuse." Completely mechanical.

Shiroe had been called that before, and by him even - a robot who was given orders, churned madly, and came out with the perfect solution that then everyone just marched to until it turned out to be exactly the perfect solution. It was fun to win. KR wasn't sure it was fun to follow such a mechanical path...even when the rewards were also perfectly suited to the person who received them.

KR sighed and sat in the chair across from Shiroe, one leg over the arm of the chair and his arm over the back of it. He was the chaos to Shiroe's perfection when he felt like shaking off the mechanical, but he was also still restrained if he tried to get too close to interrupting Shiroe's carefully laid plans.

He didn't expect this visit to be any different and he wasn't sure he wanted to be here tonight after the strain of the day of having to completely restrain himself for Purrcy's sake - another difficult thing, although perhaps not quite as much, since she was also rather chaotic, even if she had the steel trap mind of a strategist included. That made her more fun to observe and this afternoon hadn't been any different, if somewhat surprising on two occasions.

"You asked me to explain better, so I thought I'd do it tonight before we get too much further into things and I forget," Shiroe said calmly.

KR raised a smirk to that. "You forget entirely too many things, you know."

"Yes, particularly when things get as big as they are. I'm pretty high level right now and the guild is picking up what I would normally keep track of." Shiroe actually looked a little weary, although it could be he was just relaxing now that it was night.

"Flying the clouds, is it?" KR asked.

"Running the depths, actually," Shiroe corrected. "We're in the fifth level of Purrcy's dungeon and the next one is even worse and I'm having to keep track of both of them now. At least this one is almost over as far as the planning part and everyone else knows where we're headed and what to do. I still have to carry my parts, though. Two more days and I can rest just a little. Handling the strategy of the Maze of Eternity will seem like taking a nap in comparison."

"Really?" KR wasn't too interested in giving him a free pity party. The message got across. It usually did.

"So, what do you really want to know about Purrcy? Or was it Nyanta that was confusing you?" Shiroe asked.

"Nyanta-san, really. Although after their two-pronged attack at the end, there, I kind of caught on. They're rather a peculiar pairing that works for all it's odd."

"He's the anchor that keeps her in place long enough for me to get a handle on what the dungeon levels are and she's the boat that keeps him sane as long as he's here," Shiroe said.

"He seemed sane enough before," KR frowned.

Shiroe gave a faint grimace of a smile. "He was holding on, but just drifting day by day until she showed up for him to tease. She makes him laugh, too, so that's a side benefit."

KR shrugged. "Nyanta always did have a crazy sense of humor." He looked away.

"Are you jealous?" Shiroe was to the point as always.

"Some," KR admitted. "I like playing with her. Now that I can't it's a little extra boring. And I'm not really liking that she's enjoying playing with him. He was always a stuffed shirt. I make a better playmate."

"Probably, if chaos is okay," Shiroe understood that, too. "And it's not, not until we get to the goal."

KR pouted at him. "Then why bring me along? You know I get bad if I can't be chaotic just enough."

"Because you're Kanami's favorite."

KR blinked. That was rather blunt. "Since when?"

"Since the third raid and you made her laugh so hard she wet her pants."

KR groaned. "And all I got after that were a lot of painful knuckle rubs to my head every time she was excited."

"Get used to them again."

"What?" KR sat up straight.

"I'm sending you with her on the train. I need you to be able to talk to the other Caretakers...and I need Purrcy to be able to talk to them too. Now that I've seen how long your contract's for, I don't think you should summon her, but you can still do Soul Possession with her."

"You're crazy!" KR blinked at Shiroe, really not believing it. "Purrcy is an _Adventurer_ , man. And a high level crazy at that."

"Yes, and no I'm not. I can't send her on the train, and I also can't afford to have her take the almost year-long trip around the world on a ship. She needs to be able to negotiate with the other Caretakers and others like me and her in each region. She says Kanami is needed for that journey, but I need you on it. Kanami won't complain if it's you."

"She'd take you in a heartbeat." KR protested.

"Yes, but she can't have me anymore. I'm already answering to her request."

KR slumped. He'd heard that story. She was the one who wanted the two-way-door; to be able to come and go from Earth to Theldesia and back. That was a tall order, even for Shiroe. "Are you going to be able to deliver?"

"Yes. Purrcy gave me everything I needed to be able to get there. All of this is part of that."

KR's brow furrowed. "What is it with Purrcy, giving you everything you want?"

Shiroe interlaced his fingers. "I've got something the driving force behind her wants."

"Hoh? I thought it was the other-way round? Isn't she leading you by the nose?"

"Yes. It's a reciprocal agreement."

KR had to ponder that for a moment. He let his head drop back over the chair arm he was leaning back against to look at the wall behind him upside down. "I'll do it if Purrcy asks me to. I'm not willing to just jump into her skin anymore. That's damn difficult, not knowing what she's going to be or where at any given time.

"Not like I like it either. It's only okay at all if she's cat. We made that agreement early on. She didn't like being in a male body and I didn't like being in a female one. Whatever story she was made to tell you, we only ever did that a few times and mostly when Indicus required it.

"It was pretty obvious early on she was an Adventurer and it made me both sick and far too sad to have to be reminded of it. I'd summon her to tease her early on, but having Indicus learn about it and then killing her so she couldn't come back made me so mad I quit walking the fence." He turned his head to look at Shiroe, the sideways visual attention-getting.

"Learning she was tying down the Princess set it in stone that she was going to die. When I could talk to Purrcy again and she told me and Nureha the plan, we both bought into it no trouble. We both got something we wanted and Indicus got her full payment she owed. That wasn't hard, then, for that part. But going back to it just for grins and giggles ain't happenin'."

Shiroe opened his mouth. KR narrowed his eyes at him. "And it ain't happenin' for gettin' us home, neither. Not unless she wants it to. If it will help both of you and she can promise me that I won't end up in situations I'm uncomfortable with, then I'm probably willing. I'm getting bored sitting around Minami." He dropped his head back again. "But you already knew that."

"I did," Shiroe said quietly. "Thank you."

That was one good thing about Shiroe. He knew how to be polite. KR sighed then up-righted himself, sitting on the chair right, his forearms resting on his lap. He clasped his hands together. "Look. I don't know which outcome I want yet. I like being able to be here and play and be lazy, but I feel like I've seen it all now, already.

"Going home sounds like drudgery, ...but at the same time, there's almost more unlimited things to do there than here. I've no interest in being some noble, nor tied to a city or a guild anymore. Running the dungeons is great and all, but we've done all the good ones. ...I was actually thinking of quitting _Elder Tales_  after this round." He wrinkled his nose.

"It's been an okay ride since coming here, but if we get home in the next year or so, I probably won't complain. If Purrcy's word's okay, I'll ride the train. Kanami's almost as much fun to tease and I'll get to see new places and things. Maybe I'll even hop off after a while and live somewhere else until I get bored again.

"...Even then, if the call home comes, I'll probably go." He looked up at Shiroe. "Keep going. I'll do what I'm supposed to, even if I'd rather be jogging or splitting logs. It's a worthwhile goal."

"Thank you, KR," Shiroe's words were honest and heartfelt.

KR nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed for Shiroe's sake. "And...is she really his wife?"

"Yes. You watched their wedding yourself."

"No, that's not what I meant."

"...No," the answer was quiet. "He's got a son, too. He loves them deeply and it really tore him to pieces to have those sluts disgrace his screen with their words."

KR's lip twitched. "You don't spare any hatred for them, either, I see."

"No." It was cold.

"So why Purrcy then?" KR asked.

"Because she was perfectly fine with him not loving her. She doesn't demand anything from him and accepts that he would rather hate her than not. ...And she loves his wife and son with him, the same as he loves her children with her."

KR sat bolt upright. " _Purrcy's_  got kids?"

Shiroe openly answered. "Yes. Several, I understand. Makes them the perfect surrogate parents for the guild. They were right for each other from the beginning, surprisingly."

KR narrowed his eyes. "And how are they going to answer when they get home?"

Shiroe looked away, then sighed. "Right now, they don't plan on going home. I'm hoping they change their minds by the time we get there, but it's not easy." He looked rather sad and KR felt worry.

"What is it?" he whispered.

Shiroe clasped his hands around his knee and said, without looking up, "Nyanta was on his deathbed when he logged in. He doesn't get to live if he goes back. She was working up the courage to sign the divorce papers her husband dropped on the desk that morning on his way out the door. She loves her kids to death and he'd included as part of the agreement that they all went to him." He closed his mouth, not able to say more.

"God," KR moaned. "Life's hell on Earth for them, isn't it?" Shiroe didn't answer. "And you still want them to go back for that?"

Shiroe closed his eyes. "Not for that. No. Because I'm selfish. I want them to come be our parents - my parents. I want the two-way door for myself, now, for that reason. If they really can't come back with us, I want to be able to come back here and sit with them again, even if they keep hating each other for another two hundred Theldesian years. ...I love them both."

KR sat back in his chair and had to look at Shiroe in pity. "What a crazy mixed up family." He shook his head, then sighed as he stood up. "Good luck. She's worth it, but I can't say he is." He gave a teasing look at Shiroe, who'd looked up at him. "Though...I will admit he's better than some."

"Yeah," Shiroe said with all the knowledge in his heart. KR really had to feel sorry for him. A smart kid who'd been ignored by his own folks. Some stories almost made his sound sweet in comparison. "Good night."

"Night," KR said as he stepped out the door and closed it behind him. He supposed it was good Shiroe was real down there underneath it all. If he hid his pain behind the mechanics of being the best strategist there was, who was KR to tell him not to?

He whistled off-key as he shuffled to his cabin. He did get the one luxury as a member of Shiroe's party. He had to share it with Tetorō and two of their military unit, but it was still indoors and comfortable and not the deck or the hold. He shivered. No, he wouldn't be caught going into the hold, not on purpose and not on accident and certainly not on punishment. That was too close to home, too.

He took a breath and focused on other things...like how sweet the next day would be when Purrcy glared at the governing body and they all wet their pants. That would be nearly as fun as Kanami laughing herself into that state. He'd never felt so good as then.

It would be good to see her again, too, that crazy almost-big-sister. He wondered what kind of trouble she'd bring to Shiroe's plans, then remembered that she was as crazy serious about following them to the letter and sighed. She might not let him play as much as he would want to, actually.

KR giggled, then, just seeing the sparks flying now when Purrcy met Kanami. That would definitely be interesting. Purrcy could play a lot of roles. He wondered which one she'd pick and how well it would play off of Kanami. He had fun imagining a lot of combinations as he put himself to bed and rocked to sleep in the hammock.

He dreamed of a kitten playing with Kanami until it suddenly became very large and bit off her head. That didn't make his mood good, but still...they were a fun pair to match up. It was going to be interesting indeed the next little while. He sunk into deeper slumber at that thought and woke up late, as was his preferred way to wake up.

-:-:-:-:-

The government delegation arrived at the dock by the Ocypete the next morning with one military heavy per person making it a bit more of a crowd than was easy to move around, but the Yamato group ignored it. They were all just Adventurers, too. If that made them feel comfortable then that was fine.

A few people from Yamato had slept at the store, taking shifts to make sure that part of the neighborhood really was safe enough to put up shop. Quite a few had taken up residence in the upper floors of the warehouse, even though they had to sleep on whatever bedding they'd brought with them regardless. Somehow rooms were always more comfortable than open sky on a ship. Some had preferred that lulling gentle rocking however, and had stayed on the deck again.

All of Log Horizon had vanished early and stayed as vanished as normal until the call went out they had guests. Then they all turned out dressed to the nines, dragging the Generals with them, dressed up just as militarily as the guards of the local government, but less threatening.

The Adventurers who had remained on the ship settled back to watch an interesting battle. It was occasionally fun to watch Log Horizon at work. It was usually undercover, but it wouldn't be this time so much, so they took the opportunity while they had it to be entertained.

"Welcome aboard," Michael said, as resident head of naval operations and technical commander of the ship, although he wasn't really the captain. They'd all agreed they'd rather protect the captain and he'd been okay with it. Michael was thanked and dismissed rather quickly. Wrong move number one. The score was rather quickly marked as popcorn passed from bag to mouth for munching.

"Mister Shiroe," the head man of Shangtzi directed his attention quickly to the guildmaster.

"President," Shiroe replied calmly. "Thank you for coming to visit. I'm glad you've accepted my invitation to take a look at the train. We would love to offer to build one for your city. I'm sure with how large your region is you could use one to more efficiently cover the distances. Please come this way. It's down in the hold. I promise, we'll keep the doors open." He waved his hand around at all the doors propped open. "I know how easy it is to get claustrophobic." He got them all moving toward the closest door with a ladder down.

The delegation was standing still, blinking. Score another for Log Horizon. They'd gone and made whatever assumption they wanted, taking firm control of the ball.

"Ah...we can't look from above?" the President pointed to the larger bay door that was also standing open.

"Well, yes, you could, but I get vertigo so badly and there aren't any railings. I'd rather go down and show it to you." Shiroe blinked at him, then said, "...or we could pull it out and show you on shore. That would be less movement and no vertigo and you could climb around it and really see the construction, which is excellent. Minami and Plant Hwayden really have done marvelously. Would you rather see it where the environment is perhaps less...threatening?"

Score three. More popcorn in the mouth to chew. Shangtzi needed to step up their game if they were going to catch up was the agreed upon consensus.

When the delegation looked at each other first, Shiroe took the opportunity their pause gave him. "Alright everyone, let's get it up. Just the engine for now. It's got all the fun fancy bells and whistles after all."

Hands immediately leaped up and started hoisting the engine (already in the sling) up and out and over to the dock, ignoring the protests from the delegation now as Shiroe politely said it really was no trouble at all and not to worry. They really did want to show it off and surely they'd really love to see it.

When the engine was on the shore securely and the crane and sling back in the hold, the first car was shoved into it for the next round and the Adventurers went back to mark the score and retrieve the bags of popcorn. By now, the non-Akiban's were starting to get into it, too.

Shiroe and his guild shepherded the Shangtzi delegation off the ship (another point and to the relief of several who hadn't wanted a battle on the ship to break out and do real damage) and into the train, gushing about all the cool things it could do, speed, distance, how it was driven, all those kinds of things.

"Of course, you'll want to hire someone to come over to Minami to be trained in how to be the engineer, and it takes a minimum of five crew to see that it functions properly. You'll want at least two of those to be Technician sub-class of level thirty-five or higher."

"Technician what?" _Seriously? Another point._

"Sub-class. Since we've been brought here and started experimenting there are about twelve or more new sub-classes and about five new Classes. We've been learning all about them and teaching each one how to handle the new boundaries at the Akiba Adventurer Academy.

"If you want to send anyone over there to learn about them, you're welcome to sign them up for classes. They only charge one gold per day, in one week increments payable the week before class, or all at once up front if you'd rather. If you wanted to send say...six to become teachers, we could give you a discount and they can learn everything we know and come set up an academy here. That might be simplest since the costs for transportation between here and Akiba can be a little pricey.

"We're just beginning a unit for our younger Adventurers to make sure they don't return home behind their counterparts on Earth. You might want to send two or three just for that level so they can help your own youngsters. We decided it was important because once we get back, we who are adults here will be the ones held accountable if they fail in school and life. That isn't right to them or their parents."

Shiroe gave them a dark look, then looked away as if he hadn't been scolding them specifically, although he had been. "Of course, if Japan and China are having a competition for having the best educated children, then perhaps you won't mind helping them to fall behind and giving us that boost." He moved on without saying if that was a joke or not. The Chinese were rather stoic after all. The crowd decided to award Shiroe points anyway. They liked his way of thinking about that view.

He waved to the ship and they got busy again until the car waiting in the sling was next to the engine and set up the next one while he explained how the car connected to the engine, then took them inside it to show how roomy it was and how it could be used either for product storage or for personnel.

Shiroe walked out the opposite end with the President and his cabinet, and Michael started in on the generals that had been brought as they headed inside the car from the other end, Isaac and Nakalnad helping out since there were enough generals to go around.

Knowing looks went around the deck of the Ocypete. When Shiroe's group disappeared into the warehouse so he could show off what wares had been brought, there was a whistle from the Ocypete and the generals all sat down to converse comfortably on the cushioned chairs in the train car, chatting about various dungeons and the difficulties of leadership for the Adventurers.

They learned a lot about the governance of the city in a short amount of time, then used their own lessons learned the hard way to offer suggestions on what hadn't worked at all for them and what was working now. Some things met stubborn opposition, but others won through.

They got better headway when they changed topics to reminiscing about how much they enjoyed just playing _Elder Tales_  and saying they appreciated getting to go back to that again now that they'd finally given up on trying to play hard-fisted politics, which they hadn't even liked in real life to begin with. That finally loosened up the Shangtzi generals, who shifted uncomfortably and in the end gave up and became Adventurers again themselves.

The popcorn gallery called that battle won at that point and shifted focus back to the warehouse, asking those inside for a current score count and a play-by-play, as well as a heads-up when they could put out the second car of the train. The popcorn was almost gone, so they pulled out some more to pop while waiting to hear the results of the next phase. Everyone froze just a little when it went full party chat, and open mic on the floor. "Miss Purrcy's begun her part. Listen."

Her sales pitch for the products was flowery, as calm as Shiroe, and just as smooth as buttery cream...with the entrepreneurial and economic lesson thrown in for free around the edges with the biting scolding couched and hidden so well, it was hard to tell if they were coming or going. The score racked up rather fast at that point. It was like watching a ping-pong match and she was playing both sides of the table.

It was just getting scary when Shiroe smoothly interrupted and sent everyone to go shopping with assignments for each of the Log Horizon members, two to a person, with Shiroe and Purrcy together getting the President. They took him off to a corner to discuss specifics he might have questions on and he got the same treatment the generals had.

The others got the hospitality and gentle coaching from the Log Horizon members who knew how to do that best, and the boat rocked the listeners gently to their light, happy voices, and there were smiles as the popcorn paused in being eaten. That was Akiba's favorite play in Log Horizon's book. It always worked like a charm, although no one quite knew how. Perhaps it was the innocent earnestness of the young. They'd almost stopped keeping score at this point, Shangtzi was so shut out of the game.

When the group came back out of the warehouse another whistle sounded to warn the generals, who rose and led their counterparts out of the train car to join with the governors. The watchers went back on alert. It was half-time. The Shangtzi group would be allowed to finally breathe. What came out of that would determine where the game went next. Akatsuki, Minori, and Isuzu passed around tea to their guests and the dignitaries of their own group, then the young stepped back, with Akatsuki and Tetorō protecting them.

The fact Naotsugu had been selected to stand by Shiroe instead was noted as an interesting play-book change, but everyone knew he was the most even of the group. Purrcy stepped back to allow Nyanta closer range, but she didn't leave the playing field. Michael stood mid-range, but as if protecting the Shangtzi generals. Nakalnad and Isaac took up similar positions, but not to making the government delegation feel separated from their protectors and threatened.

They were all set up by the time the entirety of what had just happened finally set into the President. When he turned to look at Shiroe, he opened his mouth, a scowl on his face, and Shiroe said simply, "You've been busy being a tyrant, haven't you? Is it really worth it to have so many Adventurers hate you? Perhaps you'd like to reconsider and let Theldesia be as fun for everyone as _Elder Tales_ was. I'm sure you'd find it much more enjoyable yourself, in the long run."

The President stared, his mouth gaping open and forgotten. "I'd let you think about it, but we have a schedule to meet," Shiroe continued, "and you have a city that isn't going to stay a nice one too much longer. Are you planning on fleeing out the back door when it explodes? Surely you already know that the darkness is pushing up through and won't be restrained much longer.

"We have just enough time to help you change gears and not have that explode in your face. It will only take today and maybe tomorrow, but probably not even that long, to help you get things turned around and a lot more fun for everyone. You've already got some good things set up to contain the damage, so it shouldn't be too difficult at all, really. Minami was in a worse state, and they only took three days to get turned around, although I believe Nakalnad is still working on the final phases of the restructuring plan."

The President was now turning several shades of purple. Shiroe turned to the generals. "Is he worth keeping in power, or is he already too corrupted by the power you've let him have over you and this city?"

Three generals sided with the President, shifting a little closer to him as if to protect him. They were noted by the Yamato generals. Shiroe turned to the cabinet. "Surely you also already know how bad the policies have been from the beginning. Is it really worth the power rush to have to face the penalty coming for making other Adventurers just like yourself have to bow to the lash?"

Three dropped their heads in shame. The juniors noted them. Three shifted forward to support the President. Naotsugu marked them. One stayed still, firmly relaxed. Purrcy and Shiroe both marked that one and Nyanta's whiskers twitched. "So," Shiroe looked at him and engaged him specifically, "what's your vote?"

"Death."

"Of course," Shiroe answered. "Because you are the one really in power and the one who is controlling the corruption underground and who will release the chaos in the city. You care neither for the power, nor for the peace and prosperity of the city. You are --"

The scene exploded, but didn't. It was rather odd. The watchers felt the explosion, but it was cut off immediately by a massive shield and the man in the center of attention disintegrated. Not into bubbles. Into dust. The people around him stared at that spot, uncomprehending. Only those from Akiba had any thoughts as to what it might have been. "Purrcy...," was whispered among them. No one else had moved, but Nyanta's hands were on the guards of his rapiers.

"Purrcy, have you taken care of his subordinates?" Shiroe asked calmly.

"Yes, Guildmaster Shiroe," she answered calmly. "It was directed at his guild."

"All of them?"

"No. Only he won't be returning. The rest are now People of the Land."

"Thank you," Shiroe said calmly. He turned to the generals. "Please have your subordinates go to the slave houses and release the Adventurers being kept in them. Let them know they are now free to be whatever they want to be, just as they should have been allowed from the beginning."

The three who supported the President scowled while the others immediately acted obedient to Shiroe's request, calling up chats to their guilds. When one of the cabinet who supported the President open his mouth to complain shrilly, his voice was cut off suddenly. "Tetorō...," Akiba said quietly to the other watchers.

Shiroe looked at the cabinet supporters of the President. "You are all fired. Go home to your guilds and relearn what it is to be an Adventurer. I'm sure the generals can help you remember your proper place from now on."

He looked at the three who were looking rather relieved. "But you don't get to, sorry. You're the new cabinet, along with those generals who have a proper clue about what playing _Elder Tales_  is supposed to be about. It will be a joint council with each having a single vote. The city still has to be led and law and order maintained, so you don't get a pass or a vacation, sorry.

"You've shown yourselves to be capable leaders. Shangtzi needs that even more now. We'll meet in a few minutes to go into specifics, but first," Shiroe turned to the three generals who weren't happy, "you three need to decide if you will take your guilds out of Shangtzi and live as the bandits you are, or if you'll submit to the will of the Adventurers of the city and relent."

With three clangs, the three generals of Yamato intercepted the three generals of Shangtzi, not letting them reach Shiroe or Purrcy. The President screeched and his voice was also cut off. He lifted a hand, then froze, unable to move to cast whatever spell he was going to cast.

"Shiroe," Purrcy's smooth words purred out. "Please...can I have him? I really, really want to teach him that he's been a very bad boy...particularly when it comes to making every Summon in this city his own to control without their Summoners understanding it."

KR rose to his feet and leaned out over the railing of the ship, his attention keenly on Purrcy, a macabre grin stretching his face. Nyanta slowly slid his rapiers out of their sheaths. "How are you keeping them from coming to help him now?" KR cried out from the ship.

Purrcy's tail waved lazily. "I have the Caretaker of the region that China is in within my care and she has given me the control of - every - creature - in the region. I trump, now holding the title for both regions until she is restored. ...Did you really want to kill your own sister so badly?"

The President was shivering now and his face was pale with fury. "He's yours," Shiroe said blandly. Nyanta's blades moved wickedly fast and the President disappeared...but his psyche did not. That went into Nyanta's wedding ring.

"Match and mate," Akiba whispered, watching the three opposing generals. The ones standing behind them pulled them back and shoved them off with warnings and looked threateningly at the supporters of the President. They all had three hours to get out of Shangtzi with their guilds or they would be expected to behave properly. If they couldn't play nice, they'd be banished after a solid thumping from the other four.

Since that was the right way to handle it, Yamato just let them go. Shiroe gave the Ocypete the signal and they returned to offloading the rest of the train. He was the boss and they were quite willing to do what he wanted. It meant they could get out and play all the sooner.

They also had their part to play next, in mixing with the residents of the city who would be a bit confused for a while. There might even be some thumping going on they could join in on...and maybe more than a few youngsters who needed a helping hand in getting over their enslavement. From their own experience, they knew it took others to get them on their feet.

"A hole in one," they shook their heads. Everyone doing it together had done it, but Log Horizon had worked just as smoothly as ever. One day to gather the information, one day to get the city government straightened out. One more day to get it stable, and they could be on their way.

It really didn't seem possible that it could work that fast...but Shiroe did it...and mostly because the Adventurers themselves wished for it. They just needed him to show them how to get it. And because they were all intelligent Adventurers who knew what they wanted, as soon as he did they took it and he didn't stand in their way.

"Nice," said Susukino, having seen it for the first time, since it was William who'd taken down their despot. Everyone agreed. It had been an exciting battle and very good entertainment.

-:-:-:-:-

Shiroe sighed. It had gone well, really. He wasn't sure the repair would go so well, though. A lot of Adventurers and People of the Land both had been damaged over the last two and a half years. That was going to have to be addressed first, but it would be up to those who didn't quite understand to fix it. His own would only be able to help for another day and a half.

He closed his eyes and thought on that one issue for a moment. It was trauma. Trauma needed triage, and they would be giving that, but it also needed long-term healing. Gentleness and understanding that things would explode here and there and that needed to be met with firm discipline, but not a return to tight control. He wasn't sure among this new council was the right person yet. "Purrcy...the Caretaker, you said she was his sister?"

"Yes," she answered from her position as close advisor behind him and to his right. "I don't know what caused their fraction other than the issue over the Creatures of the Land."

He continued to consider, then sat up and interlaced his fingers on the table. He looked around at the seven in front of him. "Based on what we've seen yesterday in our investigations, you're already close enough to a proper council with just you. The division of labor should be rather obvious to you and simple to pick up...but you need one more.

"In the case of Shangtzi, you need a healer guild. Your previous slaves are very damaged and they will cause outbursts of inflammation that will need to be cleaned. Not removed or killed, just cleaned and healed as they try to relearn how to live as Adventurers and People of the Land in normal society again.

"They will also test the boundaries to see if they really are free and to what extent. It's right to teach them with proper firm discipline, but if you make them feel enslaved or imprisoned again, they will still rise up against you and overthrow you.

"We'll set the laws one more time as one group to all the citizens of the city when we announce the government changes. You'll need to make sure they are held to for _every_  person living within the city boundaries, regardless of what race, type, or level they are so that they can see it's now a fair system.

"Tell me about the President's sister. I already know the Caretakers have tender feelings towards all creatures within their regions. Can she be called on to participate with the council, even if she's only willing to be an advisory member? Can she be the healer the city needs?"

"She's dead...or missing," one member said.

"No. That's the quest we're here to go on. To retrieve all the missing Adventurers and repair your Tree of Life. We've already had to do it for our own and she asked us to help yours. That's what our goal is. When we're done with that repair, she'll be back.

"You'll have to hold the city together on your own until then, if she's capable. If you think she needs help, is there a guild already in the city that can act as the healers on the streets...or both?" He looked at them and waited for them to consider the answers.

"Most of them were also enslaved and are part of that group that will come out in pain," one of the generals said. "But...if she were returned to them, I think they would try to heal others as they were also healing. They were a gentle and happy guild, in comparison to many of us." There were nods around the table.

"She herself...is the Princess of Shangtzi. If she returned to the council table it would be to her rightful place, though I don't know that she ever really wanted that position. Her brother put her there to get the people of the city to do what he wanted."

"Of course," Nakalnad muttered under his breath.

Shiroe nodded. "And she doesn't have to. As I said, if she'd rather be advisory, she can be. It's just she needs to be able to come warn you when things are out of balance and you need to be able to ask her for help when there are things only she and her guild can do. Even if I'm not here to convince her, the eventual needs of the city will teach her how important that is and she'll come on her own.

"If you can talk her into being an actual council member after she has healed herself, then please do try. Our own delicate sunny rose of Akiba has learned to sit the table quite well and gained strength from doing so. She often calms the table at the most important and least expected times."

He smiled at the looks going towards Purrcy. "No. It isn't Purrcy. We've left her at home to tend to the city while we're gone. Purrcy sits as the CEO of the Corporation of Akiba but she isn't on the city council."

Shiroe tucked away what he wanted to do about the healing guild after getting its name and moved into the lessons to the city council and the laws, as he had done for three other cities now. It was nice to have the support of those who had lived from their side of the table to share experiences and witnesses, and most importantly, encouragement.

It turned out that, yes, the leadership of this city was rather on the young side. Only the most hidden man had any level of high maturity and had acted on his own in the darkness slowly, without fear as he toyed with the President and the council to get them to be afraid enough they would suppress the people enough his own goals could be met.

Three of the generals and one of the previous council members were in their twenties far enough to understand real life outside of school and were certainly stable enough to keep the city moving forward. The others were idealists, but enthusiastic. They would bring the energy into the council and the city it needed to recover and move forward.

When they finally had agreement to the laws of the city, Shiroe wrote the scroll, had them sign it, then sighed and signed it himself, not really wanting to. It didn't disappear and he looked at Purrcy. She held out her hand for the pen, then turned into the oracle and signed it with the name of the China Caretaker. Then it disappeared in the light it was supposed to.

"Thank you, everyone," she said. "I will come back as soon as I can. I am grateful to these Adventurers who have traveled so far from home to come and help us regain dignity and life again. Thank you," she bowed to Shiroe, then faded from Purrcy's eyes.

"Only the Princess has violet eyes," said one of the council.

"Yes," Purrcy said with a bit of a smile.

"Purrcy is also an Oracle," Shiroe said. "Because she is watching over the spirit of your Princess, she's able to allow her to access her body on occasion. Apparently the city wasn't willing to let her off the hook. She's an official member of the council since she signed that contract."

They all seemed sufficiently relieved at that, but one General frowned. "Does that mean you're on the council?"

"Maybe?" Shiroe tried to not shift uncomfortably. "I've rather gotten in the habit of being an outside witness to the fact a city has agreed to treat their citizens properly. It seems to make it feel a little more official. I promise to not interfere when it isn't necessary - which might be like never since I'm not usually over here.

"But if you need help or have questions, I'm available, ...and so is Nakalnad and Brody or William of Susukino. We all understand having all the responsibility isn't easy and often there are questions that make us really scratch our heads." He decided to share that burden, too. He didn't know how many other cities he was going to have to help, but he really would be way too busy answering questions if he was the only point of contact. That wouldn't be good at all.

"How do we get in contact with you if we can't chat across the servers?"

Shiroe looked at Nyanta and he pulled out one of the pictures of Shiroe and put it on the table. "We've been experimenting with pigment and paint scroll magic, not just pen. If you're on my friend list - and you are, and use this to contact me, we should be able to talk. We're using it as a work-around until we can figure out how to repair that particular break in the features.

"Please do try to respect my time, however. I'm really quite busy usually, but I understand that sometimes it's not possible to do it all on your own. ...And I do like to have contact with other like-minded Adventurers. A good support network is healthy."

"You've come well prepared, Shiroe of Log Horizon and the Debauchery Tea Party," the general who had sort of taken the lead said wryly. "What is your purpose, really?"

Shiroe looked at them solemnly. "To ensure the peaceful and prosperous survival of Adventurers on Theldesia, and to see that we all return home. They are not mutually exclusive goals and the former is essential for us to gain the latter. I will be putting forth three world quest requests this afternoon in the Adventurer Hall. Please come and listen to them. They must be fulfilled before the world will release us to go home."

As they walked to stand on the top step of the Government building, Shiroe confirmed with Reed that there was a substitute for Charlie and the video technology. "Yessir. Just stand there like always and project like always. We'll handle the rest."

"Thank you." Shiroe was going through openings and nothing was standing out for him. He paused before going out the door, letting the rest of the new council walk through the door in front of him.

"Please," Purrcy put her hand on his arm, but when he turned, it wasn't Purrcy. It was a violet-eyed golden-red fox-tail dressed in a traditional Chinese dress that was somewhat like Purrcy's wedding dress in style but gold in color, "let me speak to them. Lady Purrcy was letting me listen to the whole thing. I think I can say it well enough to them."

"Certainly," Shiroe bowed her to the door. "I'd be glad to have you begin to heal them immediately. They'll need it as they wait for you to return."

She nodded her head and walked out before him to stand in the center of the new council, who moved in surprise to let her through and stand a little in front of them. "She's the focus," Shiroe said to Reed and cast the voice projection spell on Purrcy. He put himself and his group behind the council, where they could hear and not be necessarily seen.

"Go when ready," Reed said.

"Go ahead," Shiroe said on a chat with Purrcy. The princess of Shangtzi opened her mouth and began, her words of healing for the city giving forth encouragement and laying the healing balm of the law on their wounds. Shiroe was glad there were other Caretakers in Theldesia. He would be even more glad to find other Master Strategists as well, although he was certainly enjoying working with Purrcy.

-:-:-:-:-

"Mi Lin, do you have your own office? I would like to speak with you alone briefly before we move into the next phase of the planning." Shiroe asked the Caretaker princess as the council returned to the Government building.

"I do," she said kindly. "It's this way."

"The rest of you may wish to have lunch while waiting," Shiroe suggested. "We'll be rather busy when we get back."

Shiroe followed Mi Lin, asking Nyanta, Tetorō, and Akatsuki to come with him as well. He didn't complain when the usual minor complement of Eagles followed after them.

Mi Lin politically took one of the comfortable chairs in her office and Shiroe politically took one near her where they could talk as equals. "While this is merely one stop along my path to reaching my goals, as I've described them, this is my first step outside Yamato," Shiroe began.

"I'm realizing that several of my solutions to my intermediate personal goals aren't going to work on the global scale. There is one in particular that I would like to request that you take for me within the region you have jurisdiction of, if I could be so bold as to make an Adventurer to Adventurer quest request."

Mi Lin tipped her head and her soft bushy tail waved lightly. "I'm willing to listen," she said.

"Thank you." Shiroe clasped his fingers and lay his lifted forefingers against his lips, resting his elbows on the arms of his chair. "We brought many PC artifacts with us when we came. I find them personally irritating, but also some of them dangerous to the world and the people within it. One of those is the concept of purchasable zones.

"In Minami that was used to good effect against the People of the Land governments and the guilds. The guildmistress purchased the zones the People of the Land government centers were built on and then threatened them unless they obeyed her. She purchased the required Adventurer zones - the Guild Hall, Cathedral, Government Center and a few others, and thus was able to force all of the Adventurers of Minami to join her guild and crush all others under her.

"This happened on a rather large scale at that time, but it can happen at any scale that one person wants to control another, even to controlling a single farmer and forcing him and his family to serve or to leave their lands to become poor wanderers. I'm sure you can understand my concern."

Mi Lin nodded sadly. "We've seen the same here as well, yes."

"Because I am a scribe, the solution I came up with is based on torn-scroll magic. When a zone is purchased by the Round Table of Akiba, I write a scroll that returns that zone to the world. When the scroll is torn, the money used to purchase the zone is returned to the gold system of the world and the world itself now owns that land, the same as we are used to on Earth.

"Those who live on that land now have property rights - they can live on the land and say who will come and go - but a third party can't threaten them unless it's by force of arms, also the way we live on Earth. It still isn't perhaps ideal, but it removes the initial threat the purchasable zones gives.

"It worked for me to use that method to correct the problem in Minami because they signed the property rights over to me and then I was able to return the land to the world using the same torn-scroll magic I use in Akiba. That isn't going to work for the rest of the world. I won't be able to go to most other parts of the world, nor really purchase the zones - though I'm willing to help with that if necessary.

"Worst of all, most of the rest of the world isn't going to be willing to give this stranger named Shiroe their land upon only my say-so that I will give it back and leave well enough alone. Many will be suspicious I come as a conqueror, and really...I have no interest. I'd much rather be back home playing the game with everyone else in Akiba, having fun." He gave a small smile that she returned with understanding.

"Would you be willing to come up with a proper solution for your region and see that the artifact we brought with us is corrected? We've helped change the rules for zone purchasing so that we can now purchase on contract and negotiate prices down to some degree, particularly if it's had some level of money put into it already. Those two changes should help quite a bit as long as we don't try to put down money on all of them all at once and then go bankrupt. It will still need to be done a few at a time, starting with the important zones first."

Mi Lin crossed her legs elegantly and considered his request. "I do agreed that something needs to be done. I will consider what can be done while waiting for my release from this state of being."

"Thank you," Shiroe paused, then said, "I presume my equivalent in this region was the man who killed himself that was on the council, the one who was collecting slaves?"

"He was very brilliant, yes," Mi Lin said coolly.

Shiroe wasn't pleased, but wasn't surprised. He turned to Tetorō and Nyanta. "I would like to talk to him also. We've made some assumptions and I'd like to make sure we haven't erred in those assumptions. If Nyanta is his oracle, can you prevent him from completely taking over Nyanta, Tetorō?"

Tetorō was just about to open his mouth when he suddenly paused, going inward. Being used to Purrcy talking to him that way, Shiroe waited patiently. Tetorō returned after about a minute and nodded. "Yes. If you can give me three minutes or less to craft the spell, it would be better to have it in place first." Shiroe nodded and Tetorō went inward again.

Mi Lin said, "I see he's a multi-class magician, but I'm not familiar with the Class 'Programmer'."

"Have you seen the sub-class, 'Hacker'?" Shiroe asked her.

"Not personally, although I believe we have several," Mi Lin answered.

"When enough points have been put into the sub-class, they convert to the Class 'Programmer'. I would be interested in learning what new sub-classes and Classes you've discovered in your region. Given that there are many professions on Earth, I can only imagine they've become somewhat limitless now that we're on the planet Theldesia rather than the bounded computer game of _Elder Tales_. Do you have a research facility in Shangtzi that was learning about such things?"

"Yes, we do," Mi Lin's ear fell. "The council member who you say killed himself was the head of that department."

Shiroe sighed. "Well, that would stand to reason, I suppose. He did kill himself. His spell rebounded. We weren't sure if he would be open to the new changes or find them unacceptable. Having seen the latter kind already, we used a magic defense that makes whatever spell is cast return on the caster. If he had only meant to say...call his subordinates to him...it wouldn't have damaged him.

"The fact that he disintegrated means that he not only had harmful intentions, but that he is likely also the one who has been preventing Adventurers like yourself from resurrecting to warn the rest of the Adventurers that he's been using them for personal experiments. I'd like to confirm that directly, though, before we continue further or we'll do more harm than good for those who have been the most damaged. The generals are doing the foot-work research, but I need to ask a few questions to the one who was at the top."

Tetorō shifted, returning, and one of the Eagles cast a healing spell on him. Tetorō nodded and Shiroe turned to Nyanta. "Izanagi, I know you also took his spirit into the ring. Please let me speak to him through Nyanta so that we don't misstep. Nyanta, please allow it." Because he was asking as guildmaster, he knew Nyanta would do it, but he still felt like he should be sufficiently polite enough to ask.

Nyanta sat down first and put his rapiers away so his 'guest' wouldn't have weapons available, then nodded. His eyes slowly changed from green to dark brown, but the guest spirit wasn't given enough control to change his physical form, which suited Shiroe just fine.

Nyanta hissed and his ears went back in anger. "I understand you're angry," Shiroe said calmly. "I'm sure it's also disconcerting to be living with the consequences of your own spell. We merely defended ourselves from it using a rebound spell. You will also have your line repaired when we arrive at the China Adventurer Tree of Life; however, what answers you give me will determine if you specifically are allowed to return to this planet again or if you will be banished to the moon until we return home to Earth."

The ears went up in surprise. The mage wasn't used to the external displays of a felinoid and likely was ignoring them. "Banished...to the moon? Can that even be done? It is either resurrection or it is not."

"No, we've already banished one there and are quite capable of doing the same to others. We've found it the most useful punishment for Adventurers who refuse to play nice and choose to be power hungry without remorse." Shiroe blinked at him.

"What I would like to understand is _why_  you are still capable of casting that spell. I cast a world-level spell that prevents any mage, regardless of type or species, from casting those spells that prevent an Adventurer spirit from returning and resurrecting. You should be dead just from casting it at all against us, and you are, but how is it you're still alive to begin with? It should have killed you the moment I cast the spell on Yamato."

"It did - almost. I lay nearly unconscious for some time. I watched the next time as another Adventurer cast it and they did die. I was quite shocked and haven't tried to cast it until now."

"But I also intended for it to be erased from the memories of those who knew it," Shiroe protested.

The mage shook Nyanta's head. "Once crafted and learned, it enters the status screen scroll book. We can go back and still cast it again, even if we've forgotten what it is. I didn't forget, but those who died and came back, I asked if they remembered what spell they'd cast and they couldn't. If I asked them if that spell was on their list, they could see it, and if they innocently cast it again, they died again. Every time I tried to select it, I received the worst headache ever; however, I felt it would be worth the cost this time if it could at least be effective."

"And just who were you casting it on?" Shiroe asked. He'd have to correct that oversight. It wasn't easy covering every instance or case, apparently. The scowl and anger were back on the host felinoid in front of him.

Shiroe sighed to himself. "I understand we came in quickly and made assumptions. We wouldn't have killed you. We were waiting to hear if you were the head of the resistance or if you were the head of the slaver guild that needed removing. You removed yourself too early for us to understand it." That got surprise back again.

"I apologize for not being able to take the time to properly investigate what was going on underneath the surface, though it certainly felt dark enough. Even if you are the most evil person in this city, I would have liked to have afforded you that much respect."

Nyanta sat back in his chair and folded his arms and thought hard for a moment. Now would be when the Vengeful Spirit would decide to lie or tell the truth, or mix the two. Shiroe found it interesting that Mi Lin was choosing to be silent on the matter, but he didn't press her. He was data gathering.

"Tell me what's been done since then," the Vengeful Spirit demanded. Shiroe did. Nyanta sighed and rested his chin on a hand, relaxing a little. "Alright then, I'll give you credit for being able to be effective quickly, but I'm not thrilled to have my efforts wasted."

"They weren't wasted," Shiroe said quietly, " -- if you've kept them whole and sane and full of hope." The dark brown eyes turned to his and looked at him directly, judging him. Shiroe met his look calmly. "I'd really rather have an ally in my equal in the neighboring region than an enemy," Shiroe said frankly. "And before your freedom fighters start a war with allies, I'd appreciate it if you'd let them know the generals' men are telling the truth."

"How do you know that's what they are and what makes you think you can trust me that quickly?" he was asked suspiciously.

"You've already hired my inside men. They spoke specifically with Mi Lin's guild members when we learned they'd been taken inside, too, and the council called them the healing guild. I'm quite relieved, actually. That many people set free full of wounds would have made this recovery nearly impossible. It would have taken likely a year for the city to recover from the damage done. The question still remaining is...where do your personal loyalties lie?"

Nyanta's free hand resting closest to Mi Lin turned over and reached for her. She blushed prettily and took his hand. "I have loved Mi Lin since we met, however my absolute despise for her brother made me make some choices in how I pushed him to be hated by everyone, causing pain and suffering to fall on us all. I am as guilty as he for causing the sufferings, although I believed for some time that it was made better by also protecting others underground. I'm not sure my return would allow sufficient punishment for my own twisted reasonings." He sighed and looked at Shiroe again.

Shiroe considered him. "It's sometimes difficult to look back and see all the things that turned our feet and led to our decisions and justify them after the fact. Acting out of anger against a person certainly is not noble nor praiseworthy. However, you still have had an effect for good.

"I would be willing to allow you to be on probation. You will not receive a council position, and I think you should expect to resign as head of research. However, I won't make you step down as guildmaster of your guild and we'll return them to Adventurer status after you've spoken to them to keep the peace and if they're willing to be obedient to the new laws.

"I will remove that spell from your spell lists so you can't cast it anymore. It was difficult to think of all the side cases and it wasn't a spell in my own repertoire so I was unaware that was an effect. We'll watch you as we watch the city as a whole to see that it does heal. We'll expect you with the rest of the Adventurers of Shangtzi to move forward into peace and prosperity, even if not complete agreement, since we already understand people must get along who don't always see eye to eye." He looked to see the reaction of the Vengeful Spirit.

He was quiet, then gave a nod. "It's acceptable." His eyes went distant. "This is Yo Chin. Stand down. The revolution is over and happened without us, sadly. I went and killed myself before understanding so I could be a part of it, so we've missed out.

"However, you are all still needed to see that the city returns to a stable state of peace. Are there any complaints with the new laws?" He paused and waited. "Very well, then. See that everyone does their part to help the new governing body. I've been told I get to come back with Mi Lin. The party from Yamato knows how to repair the problem of separation. In exchange, we have to forget the spell and have it erased from our spell lists." He looked at Shiroe. "Any idea how long before we get back?"

Shiroe shook his head. "We're giving it a month. We'd love to have it be less."

Yo Chin sighed. "I'll be back when I get back, I guess. Do your best until then and don't fight."

"Is there someone you can send as a representative to sit with the council? Preferably someone with a calm, level head," Shiroe asked. "And Mi Lin, the same would be helpful from your side as well. We'll let you both continue to listen to the meetings and if there's input you'd like to give you can tell your hosts and they'll pass it along, but it would be good to have temporary substitutes here while we're gone for the repairs."

Both gave orders to single subordinates within their guilds to come immediately to the Government center to participate in the new governing conference and Shiroe finally relaxed. They would have everyone accounted for now, and it wouldn't - or at least _shouldn't_  - fall into chaos while they were gone.

"Thank you both. Please return and sleep for now," he said to the two Chinese Adventurers and their visual aspects faded from Purrcy and Nyanta. He waited for them to recover and thanked them soberly, then slipped into a nap, right in his chair. His brain had become just a little too overloaded and needed a recharge.

-:-:-:-:-

"I wondered if his brain was starting to fizzle," Tetorō was giving Shiroe an odd look. "I think we'd best let him sleep as long as he can." Akatsuki nodded firmly in agreement.

"It's okay," Purrcy said gently. "I made it work the way they thought it was working. They'd both gotten so into character even they had forgotten they weren't in their own bodies."

"But...People of the Land can't hear chats," Tetorō protested.

"No, that's true, but they can hear disembodied voices. That was close enough for them. It was really just a modification of the conference call we use. They heard him and he heard them so it was sufficient."

"Have mew changed their status back yet?" Nyanta asked her.

"I need an HP up first," Purrcy admitted. "There's rather a lot of them." Tetorō cast a healing spell on her and she disappeared inside for a while before returning. "That database selection spell from the beginning is very useful, Tetorō. You did a good job with it, thank you. Batch jobs make me sleepy, though." She yawned. "I think I'll join Shiroe in a nap instead of going for lunch."

She changed into small cat and went and curled up in Shiroe's lap. Nyanta's ear twisted in consternation a few times, then he pulled out a small bowl of ramen, ate it, and then joined her on Shiroe's lap, curling up around her.

"What a waste," Tetorō grumbled. "Two cats in a lap and he's already sleeping. At least _I'd_  enjoy petting them first." Akatsuki grinned at him and pulled out two bowls of ramen, handing him one. "Thanks." They sat on the floor and ate while watching over their lightly snoring leaders.


End file.
